Addressing the Epidemic of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Through Legislation

On May 18, 2026, researchers, advocates, and policymakers gathered at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., to discuss how to address the crisis of missing and murdered Black women and girls in the United States. 

Organized by Tiara Willie, a Bloomberg Associate Professor of American Health in the Department of Mental Health, and Sachini Bandara, an Assistant Professor in the same department, the event focused on a new policy toolkit, “Screaming in Silence No More: A Toolkit to Address the Crisis of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls in the United States,” which gives advocates tools to establish Offices for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls in their states. 

Despite making up only 7% of the U.S. population, Black women account for 20% of all missing persons cases annually. Recent data from the CDC also found that Black women between the ages of 25 and 44 are nearly four times more likely to be victims of homicide than their white counterparts. 

Against this backdrop, the event featured survivors impacted by the crisis, lawmakers who established the country’s first official government office dedicated to supporting families and case management, and researchers working to expand these efforts across the country. Following opening remarks that grounded the day’s discussions, a panel of survivors took the stage to share their experiences, including what they felt had helped, and what had failed them. 

Lakeisha Lee, who lost her sister Brittany Clardy in 2013, emphasized the importance of centering survivors in this work. “We need to have people at the table who truly understand the issue at hand,” Lee noted. “These policies are important, but only people who have been through this will know where the blocks are and how to overcome them.” 

Lee, co-founder of the Brittany Clardy Foundation, was also instrumental in establishing the nation’s first Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls in Minnesota. Following a series of breakout sessions, participants heard from Kaleena Burkes, Director of the Minnesota office. Burkes echoed Lee’s call to center survivor voices in policymaking and stressed the importance of building strong, mission-driven teams.  

When asked what advice she would give to advocates hoping to establish similar offices in their own states, she urged them not to rush the process. “Interview people, interview one hundred people, because having the right people in these roles makes all the difference,” Burkes said. “Our office is only as successful as it is because each and every person here loves the work and is eager to make a difference.” 

Supported by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, the Screaming in Silence policy toolkit was designed to help advocates and policymakers establish Offices for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls in states across the country. The toolkit was developed with support from The M.O.C.H.A. Lab, Ujima, DC Justice Lab, The Brittany Clardy Foundation, the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, and Tiffany Garner, and includes model legislation, ready-to-use advocacy emails, and data-driven coalition-building strategies, lowering the barrier for advocates who want to act but may not know where to begin. 

As communities across the country continue to confront this crisis, the toolkit offers a roadmap for advocates, policymakers, and organizations ready to turn awareness of this injustice into action.