Missing Indigenous Reward Fund Created

Missing Indigenous Reward Fund Created

DULUTH, MN (CBS-3) – Duluth lawmakers and non-profits have announced a new fund that will help the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people’s movement.

The fund name is in Ojibwe, Gaagige-Mikwendaagoziwag, which means “They Will Be Remembered Forever”.

Alicia Kozlowski, a Duluth Community Relations Officer says one person they’re remembering forever is Sheila St. Clair.

St. Clair has been missing since 2015 and her case inspired this effort.

The fund will provide reward money for information about the St. Clair case or any future cases when people in the Native community go missing from Duluth.

According to officials, the need for the fund may be greater than ever. Although Indigenous women make up only 1% of the state’s population, 8% of all murdered women and girls in Minnesota were indigenous.

The fund is a joint effort between the city of Duluth and several organizations like the Native Lives Matter Coalition and Mending the Sacred Hoop.

Their goal is to raise $10,000. As of Tuesday, they’ve raised $6,500.

According to officials, people who come forward with information about missing persons cases will receive a reward if the information leads to an arrest.

If you have information to report about the Sheila St. Clair case, please call the Duluth Police Department Violent Crimes unit at 218-730-5050.

More information about the fund can be found at mshoop.org