Esther Agbaje | |
|---|---|
.png) Agbaje in 2021 | |
| Member of theMinnesota House of Representatives from the 59B district | |
| Assumed office January 5, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Raymond Dehn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1985-03-19)March 19, 1985 (age 40) Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Residence | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Website | Campaign website |
Esther Agbaje (born March 19, 1985) is an American politician serving in theMinnesota House of Representatives since 2021. A member of theMinnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Agbaje represents District 59B, which includes portions of north and downtownMinneapolis inHennepin County,Minnesota.[1][2]
Agbaje was born inSaint Paul, Minnesota, to parents who immigrated to Minnesota fromNigeria. She grew up inBrainerd andFaribault, and graduated fromShattuck-St. Mary's Boarding School.[1]
Agbaje graduated fromGeorge Washington University with abachelor of arts in political science, theUniversity of Pennsylvania with amaster of public administration, andHarvard University with ajuris doctor.[1] As a law student, she worked at Harvard's Legal Aid Bureau and volunteered for Volunteer Lawyers Network Housing Court Project.[3]
Before law school, Agbaje worked at theUnited States Department of State as aForeign Service Officer focusing on theMiddle East.[3] She is an associate attorney with Ciresi Conlin LLP, where she practices in general civil litigation and medical malpractice. She also didpro bono work helping renters dealing withhousing insecurity and evictions.[4][5]
Agbaje was elected to theMinnesota House of Representatives in2020 and reelected in2022. She challenged four-termDFL incumbentRaymond Dehn, winning the DFL endorsement and defeating Dehn in the primary election.[4][6][7]
Agbaje serves as vice chair of the Housing Finance and Policy Committee, and sits on the Elections Finance and Policy, Taxes, and Ways and Means Committees. She has served as an assistant majority leader since 2023.[1] Agbaje co-chairs the House People of Color & Indigenous (POCI) Caucus and is vice chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus.[8][9]
Agbaje has called for greater investment in housing, calling housing a human right, and authored a bill that would provide $45 million in funding toMinneapolis to repair affordable housing units.[10][11]
As vice chair of the Housing Committee, Agbaje authored many tenant protection provisions contained in the final housing budget, saying expungement of eviction filings was her top concern due to its impact on people's ability to find housing.[12] She sponsored legislation that gave more rights and protections to those who use self-storage units, especially those who have recently been evicted.[13]
Agbaje authored the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act.[14] The legislation adds a definition of race that includes natural hairstyles and protects Minnesotans from discrimination based on hairstyle. Agbaje testified about her experience straightening her hair for fear of losing a job or not being perceived as professional.[15] The legislation passed the House in February 2022 but was not acted on by the Republican-controlledMinnesota Senate.[16] In 2023 the bill passed both houses of the legislature and was signed by GovernorTim Walz.[17]
Agbaje signed on to a letter by U.S. RepresentativeIlhan Omar asking theDepartment of Justice to expand its investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department following themurder of George Floyd.[18] Agbaje lives in the building where Minneapolis police shot andkilled Amir Locke and has been a longtime supporter of police reform, including banning no-knock warrants.[19][20]
In 2023 she authored legislation to eliminate fees that state inmates pay for phone calls, saying it will help inmates stay connected with their families and reenter society after incarceration.[21][22] She also wrote a law lowering the threshold for pardons and commutations from unanimous support of the state Board of Pardons to a two-thirds majority.[23]
During the2021 Minneapolis mayoral election, Agbaje did not endorse incumbentJacob Frey, and signed on to a letter that advocated for a "new mayor" who would do more to end racial disparities and increase public safety.[24] She supported voting "yes" onCity Question 2, which would have renamed the Minneapolis Police Department the Minneapolis Department of Public Safety, removed minimum staffing levels for sworn officers, and shifted oversight of the new agency from the mayor's office to the city council.[25][26]
Agbaje is pro-choice, and in 2023 authored a bill that offered legal protections to patients who travel to Minnesota for an abortion and the providers who treat them.[27][28] She sponsored a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to access MinnesotaCare, the state's health insurance for low-income families.[29]
In 2023, Agbaje advocated against fully eliminating the state tax onSocial Security income, saying it should be targeted to low- and middle-income seniors.[30] She joined environmental advocates in pushing for the closing of a metal shredder in NorthMinneapolis after a stockpile caught fire.[31]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Esther Agbaje | 4,443 | 48.24 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Raymond Dehn (incumbent) | 3,839 | 41.65 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Isaiah Whitmore | 932 | 10.24 | |
| Total votes | 9,211 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Esther Agbaje | 17,649 | 74.35 | |
| Republican | Alan Shilepsky | 4,249 | 17.90 | |
| Green | Lisa Neal-Delgado | 1,804 | 7.60 | |
| Write-in | 37 | 0.16 | ||
| Total votes | 23,739 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL)hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Esther Agbaje (incumbent) | 13,225 | 98.51 | |
| Write-in | 200 | 1.49 | ||
| Total votes | 13,425 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL)hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Esther Agbaje (incumbent) | 16,791 | 82.34 | |
| Republican | Kenneth Smoron | 3,549 | 17.4 | |
| Write-in | 52 | 0.26 | ||
| Total votes | 20,392 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL)hold | ||||
Agbaje lives inMinneapolis, Minnesota.[1]
