Catherine is a survivor, and sexual abuse advocate in Minneapolis. "Catherine Goodbear, a proud member of the Three Affiliated Tribes, carries the weight of her people’s history with both reverence and resilience. Growing up with deep respect for the White Calf Society, a sacred part of her heritage, she was instilled with values that would later guide her on a remarkable journey of survival and s
elf-discovery. Throughout her life, she has been an unwavering voice in the fight for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR)tirelessly advocating for justice, awareness, and healing for those whose voices have been silenced. Catherine’s strength is rooted in her personal experiences as a survivor. As a certified sexual victim’s advocate in Minneapolis, she dedicates her life to helping others who have faced trauma, showing them that healing is possible. Catherine herself is a survivor of alcohol and drug abuse, as well as the horrors of the boarding school system, which sought to strip away the very essence of her culture and identity. Yet she emerged from these dark chapters not broken, but determined. Her journey through pain did not end with these early struggles; she also faced the devastating realities of domestic abuse and the harrowing battle of breast cancer, a fight she has courageously overcome. However, her greatest loss came when both of her daughters tragically succumbed to a rare genetic cancer. The grief of losing them could have consumed her, but instead, Catherine turned her sorrow into strength. It was through the death of her daughters that she found a deeper purpose: to heal others, to show them that survival is possible, and that one’s life can still have meaning, even in the face of unimaginable loss. Catherine never gave up—her life's purpose centered around staying sober, honoring the Creator, and striving to be a positive role model for others. She learned that true healing comes not from avoiding pain, but from confronting it, embracing it, and using it as fuel to grow. Her journey from strife to self-love is one of triumph, a testament to the power of resilience, self-awareness, and the unwavering belief that healing is a continuous process. From her heritage as a member of the Three Affiliated Tribes to her work advocating for Indigenous women, Catherine has spent her life fighting against the odds. Through her healing, she learned to transmute the pain of hereditary trauma, the scars of boarding schools, and the overwhelming weight of poverty and self-doubt. She consciously chose to rise above the negativity, strife, and death that surrounded her, not only to honor the memory of her daughters, but to honor herself as well. Catherine’s story is one of profound transformation—she is the embodiment of strength, resilience, and love. Through pain and loss, she found her purpose. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Catherine Goodbear has emerged not only as a survivor, but as a beacon of hope, showing others that healing, self-love, and the will to keep going can turn even the darkest moments into a source of light."
