Reclaiming Manoomin / Psin: State-Level Efforts to Establish Legal Rights for Wild Rice

This panel discussion spotlighted a new campaign launching in Minnesota during the 2025 legislative session, focusing on recognition of legal rights for manoomin / psin (wild rice) during the upcoming legislative session.

Reclaiming Manoomin / Psin: State-Level Efforts to Establish Legal Rights for Wild Rice
The Great Northern Climate Solutions Series

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Known as manoomin to the Anishinaabeg and psíŋ to the Lakota and Dakota, wild rice is crucial to the health of people and ecosystems in Minnesota. Importantly, manoomin/psíŋ is central to Anishinaabeg and Dakota spirituality, cultural, and nutrition, as well as their economies. As the state grain of Minnesota, wild rice is also core to the Minnesota economy and environment, not just because it’s an incredibly delicious source of nutrition that requires no fertilizers to grow, but also because it is so central to Minnesota’s biodiversity – more than 17 species of wildlife listed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources as “species of greatest conservation need” use wild rice lakes as habitat for reproduction or foraging. Now is the time to protect manoomin/psíŋ. According to the Governor’s Wild Rice Task Force, historical data shows the abundance of wild rice has decreased in Minnesota and is no longer abundant in southern Minnesota. Manoomin/psíŋ faces many threats from climate change, invasive species, pollution, and genetically engineered organisms. Particularly, sulfate byproducts from current and proposed sulfide-ore mines like Polymet and Talon can leach into the fresh waters in which wild rice grows, not just negatively impacting the rice itself, but also the plant and animal life that depend on this grain – including us!

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About the Speakers

  • Leanna Goose is an Anishinaabeg student, a mother of 3 children, and co-facilitator of the Rise and Repair Coalition. She works with the Rise and Repair coalition to bring forward legislation that advances Indigenous rights and climate justice.

    Leanna works on linking science to activism to protect the world around her. She believes Indigenous wisdom can help us live in right relationship with the land around us.

    Leanna strives to help create a world where the next generations can thrive. Part of that work involves organizing around the protection of manoomin or wild rice. She is currently working on a research project called Protecting Manoomin for the Next Seven Generations. She also works within the Rise and Repair coalition to recognize the rights of manoomin/psíŋ.

  • Liz Loeb (she/her) is a civil rights attorney and community organizer with 25 years of high-level experience leading organizations in movements for social change. As a white, queer, Jewish woman, Liz knows that who we are shapes the work that we do. Liz believes in our shared interdependence, and addresses challenging issues with humor, compassion, and courage.

    A graduate of Brown University, Liz holds a law degree and a Ph.D. in Law & Society from NYU. As an attorney, Liz litigated international human rights cases for the Center for Constitutional Rights before joining the national ACLU legal team. Since then, Liz has guided social movement organizations through strategic development, and has become a nationally recognized facilitator.

    Liz currently serves as the Associate Director of Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, working at the intersection of climate justice and racial justice.

  • Sen. Patricia Torres Ray made history in 2006 by becoming the first Latina woman elected to the Minnesota Senate. She served 16 years in the Senate. She received her undergraduate degree in Urban Studies from the University of Minnesota, and also holds a Masters Degree in Public Affairs from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Patricia worked for the State of Minnesota in multiple capacities for 18 years prior to being selected to the Senate.

    She has served as Chair of Parks and Trails in the Environment committee, Chair of State and Local Government Committee, Chair of the Education Policy Committee and served in the Energy and Environment committees for 8 years. Patricia has been recognized as a champion for environmental justice and has authored many bills related to conservation, clean energy, racial and environmental equity, economic development, education equity and the protection of Indigenous rights. She is currently working as the Policy Director for MINIPL.

  • Melissa Olson is a reporter for MPR’s Native News Project.

    She is a recent contributor to the North Star Journey Series — stories about the resilience of Indigenous, Black, and people of color throughout Minnesota.

    Melissa is a recent graduate of the arts and public policy program at NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts. She lives in Minneapolis.