Samantha Sencer-Mura Explained

Samantha Sencer-Mura
State House:Minnesota
District:63A
Predecessor:Jim Davnie
Term Start:January 3, 2023
Constituency:63A (2023-present)
Birth Date: February 2, 1989
Residence:Minneapolis, Minnesota
Education:Occidental College (BA)
Harvard University (MEd)
Party:Democratic (DFL)
Occupation:Legislator
Spouse:Lance
Children:1
Parents:David Mura

Samantha Sencer-Mura (born February 2, 1989) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), Sencer-Mura represents District 63A in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes parts of Minneapolis in Hennepin County.[1] [2]

Early life, education and career

A fourth-generation Japanese-American, Sencer-Mura was raised in Minneapolis and attended South High School. Her father is David Mura, a poet and playwright. Her grandparents were incarcerated in internment camps during World War II.

Sencer-Mura earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social justice and critical theory from Occidental College and a Master of Education in school leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.[3]

Sencer-Mura began her career as a teacher at Citizen Schools in New York City. She later worked as a coordinator at Safe Passages and community schools director of United for Success Academy in Oakland, California. In 2017, Sencer-Mura returned to Minneapolis to join 826 MSP, a nonprofit after-school program, as executive director.[4]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Sencer-Mura was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. She first ran for an open seat created by legislative redistricting and the retirement of 11-term DFL incumbent Jim Davnie. She is the first Japanese-American elected to the state legislature.[5]

Sencer-Mura serves on the Agriculture Finance and Policy, Education Finance, Workforce Development Finance and Policy, and Transportation Finance and Policy Committees. She is a member of the House People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus and the Minnesota Asian and Pacific (MAP) Caucus.[6]

Political positions

During the 2023 session, Sencer-Mura sponsored anti-hate crime legislation that would provide money to better track bias crimes and fund law enforcement trainings, citing anti-Asian backlash related to COVID-19's origins and saying "our communities are living in this state of red alert".

Sencer-Mura wrote a bill that would require Minnesota high schools offer an ethnic studies course, saying, "students of all racial and ethnic identities benefit from ethnic studies".[7] [8] [9] She sponsored a transit safety bill after an 87-year-old woman in her district was injured while using public transit.[10]

Personal life

Sencer-Mura lives in Minneapolis with her spouse, Lance, and has one child.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sencer-Mura, Samantha - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present . 2023-02-28 . www.lrl.mn.gov.
  2. Web site: Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (63A) - Minnesota House of Representatives . 2023-02-28 . www.house.mn.gov.
  3. Web site: Dernbach . Becky Z. . 2022-11-09 . Samantha Sencer-Mura elected Minnesota's first Japanese American legislator . 2023-01-08 . Sahan Journal . en-US.
  4. Web site: Dernbach . Becky . November 5, 2022 . Educators of color seek seats in Minnesota Legislature . 2023-01-08 . MPR News . en.
  5. Web site: The Associated Press . 2022-12-27 . What Minnesota's most diverse Legislature means for policy . 2023-08-13 . MPR News . en.
  6. Web site: Olson . Rochelle . January 23, 2023 . Minnesota Asian and Pacific Caucus leaders say they live in state of 'red-alert,' mourn shooting victims . 2023-08-13 . Star Tribune.
  7. Web site: Faircloth . Ryan . Bills would require Minnesota students to take ethnic studies, personal finance classes . 2023-08-13 . Star Tribune.
  8. Web site: Shockman . Elizabeth . 2023-03-24 . Legislators consider bill requiring ethnic studies in Minnesota high schools . 2023-08-13 . MPR News . en.
  9. Web site: Deng . Grace . February 28, 2023 . Minnesota House committee passes ethnic studies requirement . 2023-08-13 . Minnesota Reformer . en-US.
  10. Web site: Serres . Chris . May 29, 2023 . 87-year-old Minneapolis woman with brain injury wins struggle for bus safety . 2023-08-13 . Star Tribune.