“Together, we can build the inclusive and just society we deserve.”
– Esther Agbaje
“Together, we can build the inclusive and just society we deserve.”
– Esther Agbaje
Esther is powered by Minnesota values.
Esther Agbaje proudly serves as the State Representative for District 59B, representing the heart of Minneapolis, from the vibrant neighborhoods of the North Side to Downtown.
Our district reflects both Minnesota’s challenges and its promise. Every day, Esther works to ensure that everyone, no matter their zip code or background, has the opportunity to live with dignity and thrive.
Esther fights for working people and families.
As a legislator, Esther has focused on policies that put people over profits. Her priorities center on affordable housing, economic opportunity, and environmental justice — because these are the issues that shape Minnesotans’ daily lives.
She has:
- Secured $150 million in down payment assistance for first-generation homebuyers.
- Authored the Tenants’ Rights Bill, which provides tenants with protections to hold landlords accountable.
- Extended eviction moratorium protections during the pandemic to keep families housed.
- Expanded job training and skills-building programs through Twin Cities Rise and Summit Academy.
- Delivered funding for home repairs and energy efficiency for low-income homeowners.
- Led the African American Family Preservation Act, preventing unnecessary family separation.
- Authored the CROWN Act, banning discrimination based on natural hair.
- Established the Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity Program to help residents and small businesses stay in their neighborhoods during the METRO Blue Line Extension.
Every one of these wins came from collaboration: bringing together neighbors, advocates, and fellow lawmakers to move good ideas forward.
Esther believes in justice for all.
Esther’s commitment to justice is lifelong. In her role as a Lead Staff Attorney at the Public Health Law Center she supports communities fighting for greater public health laws and policies like commercial tobacco control and building decarbonization. At Ciresi Conlin LLP, she helped secure life-saving treatment for incarcerated Minnesotans and was recognized as a 2019 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Esther began her legal career defending tenants from eviction and continues that work as a volunteer with the Volunteer Lawyers Network in Hennepin County. Her belief is simple: safe, affordable housing is a human right.
Esther brings global experience and local roots.
Before becoming a lawyer, Esther served as a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State, managing programs that promoted rule of law and civil society abroad. She later earned her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, helping local governments improve services for residents.
Her education began at The George Washington University, where she advocated for labor rights and mentored students, early examples of her lifelong focus on empowering people and strengthening communities.
Esther grounds herself in faith, family, and community.
Born in St. Paul, raised in Brainerd and Faribault, Esther is the daughter of Nigerian immigrants who came to Minnesota to pursue education and serve others. Her father is an Episcopal priest, and her mother has long worked to support people experiencing homelessness, values that shaped Esther’s path in public service.
Today, she lives in Minneapolis with her husband and continues to fight for communities like the one that raised her. As a renter and transit rider, she knows firsthand the challenges Minnesotans face, and she works every day to make life more affordable, connected, and sustainable for working families.
Esther leads with people at the center.
As a lawyer, negotiator, and public servant, Esther believes in listening first, finding common ground, and keeping people at the heart of policy. She’s fighting for a Minnesota built on care, fairness, and opportunity, where every family has access to safe housing, good jobs, strong schools, and a healthy environment.
Together, we can build the just, inclusive, and sustainable society we deserve, for every neighbor, every family, and every generation to come.
Support Esther
With your support,* I’ll keep fighting for housing justice, public safety, and opportunity for every Minnesotan.
*Minnesota residents, your contribution is refundable up to $75 with Minnesota’s Political Contribution Refund