Watch: MN lawmaker pushes for Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls

Minnesota State Rep. Ruth Richardson went on Good Morning America to discuss legislation that would establish the Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls (HF 55).

“It’s not about asking for something more. It’s about asking for the same energy and the same attention,” Rep. Richardson told Robin Roberts.

The Office would hold the Minnesota Legislature and state agencies, like the BCA, accountable for implementing the recommendations in the report of the Task Force on Missing and Murdered African American Women. The Task Force, convened by the Department of Public Safety, was developed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2021 to investigate violence against Black women and girls and consider the measures necessary to support them, their families, and their communities. MNCASA Executive Director Artika Roller was an integral member of the Task Force and continues to support the passage of HF55.

“Violence against Black women and girls in our state is an undeniable crisis. This epidemic is the product of 200 years of targeted violence, erasure of crimes against Black women and girls, and systemic barriers to justice,” Artika said. “The Task Force report revealed that Black women and girls in Minnesota are far more likely to experience violence than their peers. Yet when they turn to systems that claim to offer support and promote justice, they are often disbelieved, stereotyped, and subjected to additional trauma.”

HF 55 passed the House and is now in Senate.

Rep. Richardson is CEO of the Planned Parenthood North Central States and a third-term representative serving 52B which includes parts of Mendota Heights and Eagan. She helped author a paid family and medical leave bill. Governor Tim Walz signed into law in January.