Stephen LaBoueff

Stephen Black Bear LaBoueff was the son of Esther May Brown and Stephen LaBuff, Sr. He grew up on the Blackfeet reservation and was an enrolled tribal member, while also having Cree heritage. He overcame many challenges as a child-two years in a Shriner's hospital for treatment of a bone disease, multiple foster care placements, and Indian boarding school abuse. This rough start makes his diverse achievements all the more remarkable. After completing high school at the Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, he received a full scholarship to attend the University of Kansas as a National Merit Finalist, initially majoring in journalism before earning a degree in accounting. He then became a Department of Health, Education and Welfare Fellow in Washington, D.C, and subsequently received a Masters of Public Health from the University of Oklahoma in Health Planning and Hospital Administration. His work for the Indian Health Service included a position as Program Analyst in Washington and serving as hospital administrator for the Crownpoint, New Mexico facility on the Navajo reservation.

Despite career success, he felt the absence of connection to his traditional Blackfeet ways. He quit his job, became sober, and began a different path. He attended sweat lodges and traveled to Montana to learn from elders, a journey that led him to become a pipe carrier and Sun Dancer. He also became an award-winning potter, exhibiting and selling his culturally based, hand-built, natural clay work at a range of juried venues, including the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Indian Market, the Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market, the Northern Plains Tribal Arts, the Kentucky Artisan Center, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, the Smithsonian's annual holiday catalog, and the Agape Gallery in Albuquerque and Andrea Fisher Gallery in Santa Fe. His interest in media led him to host a weekly four-hour Indian radio program on KUNM called the "Singing Wire" and to produce content and PSA's for the National Indian Council on Aging and Indian Country News. He served on the boards of the Albuquerque American Indian Center and the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission.

He had a great passion for youth and education. He taught courses and workshops at the Institute of American Arts in Santa Fe, the University of New Mexico, Morehead State University, and the Ghost Ranch retreat center, and served as Interim Director of the UNM Native American Studies Center. Following a protest to keep the Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute open, he was deeply touched by the suicide of a young Pima student. This led to a 40-year commitment to suicide prevention and crisis intervention, which took the form of doctoral studies in sociology at UNM; consultancies with tribes (Wind River Reservation, Passamaquoddy of Maine, Mississippi Band of Choctaws, Nambe Pueblo, Blackfeet); presentations for non-profits, including the National Indian School Board, National Indian Youth Leadership Council, National Indian Education Association, and National Indian Health Board; and co-founding the You Are Not Alone Network (YANAN). He was a published author, contributing to the Yellow Medicine Review, The People Before Columbus, and co-editing a collection of interviews examining the impact of higher education on Native peoples.

His coyote nature, courage, and keen analysis skills positioned him to be an effective activist for justice and inclusion. Only months before his passing he was participating in rallies to support democracy and protect his diverse neighbors. His immense capacity for empathy and love, quick smile, and playful sense of humor allowed him to connect with stranger and friend alike in deep and healing ways, resulting in them feeling seen and valued. His love of nature found expression in beautiful photography, hiking and camping, and a dedication to feeding and watching birds.

He is survived by his soulmate and wife of 35 years, Joy Gritton; three children, Stephanie LaBoueff, Stacey Brigman, and James LaBoueff; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; a sister, Nora Farwell, and brother, Jay Farwell; and many dear chosen family members.