ESTHER HUMPHREY
board member / artist / community leader
Biography
Esther Humphrey joined the In Progress board in 2021.
Esther Humphrey resides near Cass Lake MN and is member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.
Esther has 3 sons Gabriel 29, Saige 21, Colter 19 and one daughter Nigigoonsikwe age 7 (going onto 15.)
Esther strives to walk a good path to set an example for her children and one that brings pride to her ancestors. She hopes to promote a deeper understanding of the Anishinaabe way of life.
She is the Community Education and Extension Coordinator for the Leech Lake Tribal College. This includes the planting, upkeep and harvesting of the community garden for the college which consists of a 20x70 ft high tunnel, a green house, 8 raised beds, 12 apple trees, 80 plum trees, 300 blueberry bushes. She invites the community to gather other plants and berries that grow naturally on the LLTC campus.
Esther enjoys the outdoors by hunting, fishing, snaring rabbits, harvesting wild rice, gathering plants for food and medicines, snow shoeing, star gazing, gardening, canning and food preservation. Her other pastimes include beading, painting, making moccasins, birch bark work and most recently learning how to make cedar mats and weaving bulrush and other natural fibers. Esther enjoys the gathering process of natural material most although it is hard work it is prime opportunity to connect with our plant relatives.
Esther has completed a variety of leadership programs and has been involved in Community Wellness Initiatives that include Racial Diversity in Minnesota and North Dakota. She fulfilled the Bush Foundations Native Nation Rebuilder’s Program. She has participated in Wellstone Action, and The White House Project’s Go! Run Women’s Leadership Training, and the Blandin Foundations Reservation and Community Leadership Trainings as well as other local initiatives.
Since the summer of 2011 Esther traveled and walked over 1200 miles, carrying water in healing prayers in the United States. She and her daughter (before and after birth) have walked over 6000 km in other water walks in Canada. She continues to walk for and carry the water.
Esther birthed her daughter in a traditional birthing lodge with community, fire, medicines songs and ceremony. Esther now supports others through pregnancy and birthing by organizing events that promote natural and traditional child birthing. Esther is a trained Doula and a Certified Outreach Perinatal Educator and Lactation Counselor.
Through Esther’s institutional education journey, she has earned a BSW at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth MN, an A.A.S in Human Services at Fond Du Lac Tribal Community College in Cloquet MN, and an A.A in Elementary Education through Sinte Gleska University, South Dakota.
Board Service
2021 to 2024