Democratic Representatives Ilhan Omar and Bonnie Watson Coleman unveiled the Brittany Clardy Missing And Murdered Black Women And Girls Act in Oct. 2023.
The Act is a pivotal step toward establishing an Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls housed within the U.S. Department of Justice.
This proposed office holds the promise of conducting comprehensive research, presenting reports to Congress, and recommending policy solutions to address the alarming rates of violence against Black women and girls.
If enacted into law, the legislation would not only bring about the creation of this crucial office but also set up a nationwide advisory commission.
This commission, comprised of Black women and girls who have personally endured “violence, abduction, or trafficking,” along with family members of victims, would play a pivotal role in shaping the strategy and policies to address the crisis.
Providing a recent update in an interview with ESSENCE, Rep. Ilhan Omar shared insights into the ongoing efforts to build support for the bill. “We’re getting people to sign on, and we’re still trying to build momentum,” she said. Stressing the urgency of the initiative, Rep. Omar highlighted that individual advocacy is crucial, urging people to reach out to their members of Congress to garner support for the proposed legislation.
Rep. Omar, who hails from Minnesota, acknowledged her home state’s pioneering efforts in this realm. In 2021, Minnesota took a historic step by enacting a law that established the nation’s first Office of Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls. The state also became the first to allocate funds for research into this crisis, with community members directly affected leading the charge.
Research findings presented in a one-pager for the legislation underscore the racial disparities present in the investigation and allocation of resources in missing persons cases, pointing to the underrepresentation of missing Black women in news coverage.
Reflecting on the impact of the initiative in Minnesota, Rep. Omar revealed that the task force established by the state has already documented differential treatment of cases based on the race of the victim. “Our lives are not considered worthy of fighting for in many regards,” she noted, emphasizing the importance of persistently being a voice for oneself and demanding equal treatment.
Dedicated to the memory of individuals like Brittany Clardy and countless other Black women who were initially overlooked by law enforcement, Rep. Omar affirmed that the bill aims to ensure that resources within the Department of Justice (DOJ) are available to serve every state willing to undertake similar initiatives.
“The hope is that by creating a concentrated effort at the national level, we will be able to address this crisis,” said Rep. Omar.
The ultimate goal is to reshape the ways in which law enforcement and other entities react when faced with the disappearance or murder of a Black woman, striving to create a more equitable and just response to these urgent matters.
