Esther Agbaje

Esther Agbaje was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Agbaje earned a B.A. in political science from George Washington University, an M.P.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and a J.D. from Harvard University. Her career experience includes working as an associate with the Ciresi Conlin law firm, a negotiator, and a program manager.[1][2]

Esther Agbaje has not yet completed [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Send a message to Esther Agbaje asking her to fill out the survey.

If you are Esther Agbaje, click here to fill out [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out the candidate survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete [the profile publisher]'s Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's [the profile publisher] profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for.  More than 32,000 candidates have taken [the profile publisher]'s candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

You can ask Esther Agbaje to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing esther@estheragbaje.com.

Esther Agbaje did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Esther Agbaje did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Esther Agbaje and I am running to be the Minnesota State Representative for District 59B. I was born and raised in Minnesota and am the child of Nigerian immigrants. Growing up, my parents instilled in me the importance of serving others. I worked to advance labor rights during my undergraduate studies and then continued in helping to build healthy and sustainable communities during graduate school. In law school I defended tenants from eviction, and as a lawyer I practice medical malpractice on the plaintiff's side. I also volunteer with the Hennepin County Housing Court project, local environmental justice organizations, and my church.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The main messages of my campaign are inclusivity, community health and wellbeing, and boldness. With an equity and inclusion lens to policy I will ask questions to ensure that people of color, people with disabilities, poor people, and those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community are considered in policy making.From that perspective my two main issues are housing and environmental justice. These two issue areas interact with other issues like education, living wage jobs, universal healthcare, and police accountability because housing and a clean environment are the basis of community health and wellbeing.Finally I will move boldly on the issues important to my community. The isues of housing, education, healthcare and jobs were already urgent, but COVID and the protests after George Floyd's murder showed even more that we could no longer wait until the start aligned to put people first in lawmaking.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Housing is a human right. Without safe and stable housing, it is hard for families to maintain their physical and mental health, jobs, and an education. We're facing a housing crisis in Minneapolis, which often manifests itself in the displacement of Black women & their families, along with LGBTQ+ youth. I will advocate for the state is a good partner in providing safe, clean, and affordable housing for everyone from seniors, to low-income families, to working professionals.

Environmental justice is about ensuring that people have a clean environment in which to live. Where people live determines much of their health and life outcomes. Unfortunately Black and Brown communities and low income communities traditionally bear the brunt of pollution. I will fight to prioritize remedying the environmental harms in those communities so that people don't live where the air is harmful, the water is toxic, and the land does not bear fruit. I will work to ensure that Minnesota moves towards 100% renewable energy and meets and maintains high standards to conserve our environmental assets, including the Mississippi River.