Cassandra Holmes
Board of Directors
Cassandra (Niiwin Muck-Wa Ikwe – Four Bears Woman) was born and raised in East Phillips at Little Earth and is part of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe. Motivated by the love for her community, Cassandra is a passionate and accomplished activist fighting for Indigenous rights and environmental justice.
After losing her eldest son, Trinidad, as a result of toxic pollution in East Phillips, Cassandra is doing everything she can to stop the destruction of the Roof Depot building. At EPNI, Cassandra facilitates our Indigenous community engagement and at our meetings, she always speaks from the heart with her community in mind.
She also oversees Little Earth’s Urban Farm Youth Program, where local youths are given hands-on education in growing and harvesting vegetables and Native plant medicines. Always on the go, Cassandra also coordinates Safe Communities of United Tribes (SCOUT) in an effort to strengthen Indigenous community relations with police, reduce neighborhood crime, and empower our next generation of leaders.
Cassandra recently graduated from Minneapolis College and her courageous, outspoken, and uplifting attitude make her a vital part of both the East Phillips and Little Earth communities.