Esther Belin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Esther G. Belin
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At UC Berkeley's Lunch Poems in 2024
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| Born | July 2, 1968 Gallup, New Mexico |
| Occupation | Artist, writer, poet, writing instructor, and addiction counselor |
| Education |
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| Literary movement | Works based upon Navajo philosophy of Saah Naagháí Bik’eh Hózho |
| Notable works | From the Belly of My Beauty, "Of Cartography: Poems (Sun Tracks)" |
| Notable awards | American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation (2000) |
Esther Belin, also known as Esther G. Belin (born July 2, 1968), is a talented Diné artist, writer, and poet. She also teaches writing and works as a counselor.
Her book, From the Belly of My Beauty, won the American Book Award in 2000. This award came from the Before Columbus Foundation. Esther Belin also helped edit The Diné Reader: An Anthology of Navajo Literature. This book was published in 2021. It is listed among the best books by American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Esther Belin was born in Gallup, New Mexico, on July 2, 1968. Her parents, Susan and Eddie Belin, were Navajo. They raised her in Los Angeles, California.
Esther is part of the Zia (Tłʼógi) clan of the Diné people. This connection comes from her grandmother, Pearl Toledo. She is also related to the Bittersweet (Tódichꞌiiꞌnii) clan.
Her parents moved to Riverside, California, as part of a government program. They attended Sherman Institute, a boarding school for Native Americans. There, they learned about the culture and language of white people.
Growing up, Esther learned English to fit in as an "Urban-Raised Indian" (U.R.I.). She spent school months in the city. But her summers were spent in New Mexico and Arizona, on Navajo land.
Esther did not learn the Navajo language as a child. This made it hard to talk with her extended family. She sometimes felt out of place in the city and on the Navajo Nation. However, she also felt a sense of freedom there.
Esther studied at the University of California, Berkeley. She worked with the Native American Studies department. There, she created three videos. These included The Princess, which was shown at the L.A. Film Festival. She was the main speaker at her graduation in 1992.
Later, Esther attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree. She also holds a degree from Antioch University.
Career and Creative Works
Esther Belin wrote a book of poems called From the Belly of My Beauty. It was published in 1999. The book tells about her experiences growing up in Southern California. It describes being an Indigenous person after her parents moved from the Navajo Nation. This book earned her the American Book Award in 2000.
Her poetry collection, Of Cartography, came out in 2017. The poems in this book are arranged using the Diné culture's Four Sacred Directions. Esther sees her poems as maps. She believes a person's identity is shaped by the land around them.
She explained that traveling is common for Navajo people. This helps them appreciate their culture and the land. Natural landmarks connect people to a place. Esther also writes poems online, like "X+X+X+X-X-X-X." Her writing helps her feel more connected.
In 2017, she was working on a poetry project about Jim Thorpe. He was a famous Olympic gold medalist from the Sac and Fox Nation. The well-known writer Sherman Alexie considers Esther Belin one of his favorite Native writers.
Esther was an editor for The Diné Reader: An Anthology of Navajo Literature. This book was published in 2021. It is recognized by American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL). In 2021, she also contributed to a multimedia project called Pandemic Chronicles, Volume 1.
Esther Belin has taught writing at high schools. By 2012, she was teaching at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. In 2017, she worked as a counselor at the Peaceful Spirit Treatment Center. This center is located near several Native American reservations. Since 2021, Esther has guided students in the MFA program at the Institute for American Indian Arts.
As a multi-media artist, Esther Belin has created art installations. These include Bound Sky and Pretty Tough. She also makes jewelry using beads, shells, and wool. She is also a printmaker. Esther has been part of the Arroyo Arte Collective. She has also shown her work at the Santa Fe Indian Market.
Activism and Advocacy
Esther Belin speaks out against the Columbus Day holiday. She believes it celebrates someone who treated Indigenous people unfairly. She supports a "Real History of the Americas" day instead. This day would celebrate Native American cultures and traditions. It would also tell the story of colonization from the perspective of Native people.
Esther believes it is important for Native Americans to heal from past difficulties. She said in 2012 that it is important to start the healing process. She also believes in guiding others through their own historical challenges. For Esther Belin, writing is a way to advocate for change.
Personal Life
Esther Belin met Dan Edd, a sculptor and painter, at the Institute of American Indian Arts. They married and have four daughters: Sierra, Ruthie, Chamisa, and Santana. They were born between 1995 and 2003. All her daughters are artists. They have participated in the Santa Fe Indian Market since they were young. They have grown into filmmakers, photographers, and artists.
Esther raised her daughters to be advocates for their community. She believes it is important to preserve their culture. She feels that people need to take responsibility for keeping their traditions alive.
After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, Esther lived in Torreon, New Mexico. This was near the Navajo Nation. She lived there for over 20 years. She has also lived in Santa Fe and Farmington, New Mexico, in New Mexico. Later, she lived in Durango, Colorado.
Works
Films
While at the University of California, Berkeley, Esther Belin made:
- The Princess, shown at the L.A. Film Festival
- Beyond the ...
- Surviving in This Place Called the United States
Poetry
- From the Belly of My Beauty (1999)
- Of Cartography: Poems (2017)
Her poems also appear in other books and online, including "Bringing Hannah Home," "Blues-ing on the Brown Vibe," and "Night Travel."
Editor
- The Diné Reader: An Anthology of Navajo Literature (2021), with other editors
Images for kids
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Esther Belin at UC Berkeley's Lunch Poems in 2024
See also
