A simple yet profound comment from an elementary-school-aged child during a community event in Rochester highlighted the ongoing mission of Minnesota’s Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls (MMBWG).
While visiting the MMBWG table at Safe City Nights to select pink bags and matching shirt patches, a young girl remarked to her friend, “Girls should not have to worry about going missing.”
The moment stopped Luana Nelson-Brown, the MMBWG Office’s head of advocacy and victim support, in her tracks.
“There is something protective about connection and community,” Nelson-Brown said. “And in their own way, these two girls were already living that. They may not yet have the language to describe friendship as a protective factor, but they understood something very naturally about standing together.”
The interaction took place during Safe City Nights, a summer series designed for Rochester residents to interact with local city and public safety organizations in a casual setting. Participation in events outside the Twin Cities metro area reflects the agency’s commitment to delivering resources, support, and safety initiatives across all regions of Minnesota.
According to agency leaders, issues surrounding violence, exploitation, and disappearances affect families statewide, including rural and Greater Minnesota communities that are sometimes overlooked in statewide policy discussions.
“Our staff is being very intentional about meeting community where they are to engage them in our work, receive their input and be supportive where needed,” said MMBWG Director Kaleena Burkes.
Throughout the event, staff engaged with attendees—many of whom were learning about the state office for the first time—to build trust, share educational materials, and raise awareness.
For Nelson-Brown, the interaction in Rochester remains a powerful reminder of the underlying purpose behind the state’s public safety and advocacy efforts.
“Seeing them safe, happy and proudly carrying their MMBWG bags was a renewing moment and a glimpse of the future MMBWG is fighting for,” Nelson-Brown said. “One where Black women and girls can simply live, grow, play and be together without fear.”
