Samantha Sencer-Mura is an American politician and member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party ** representing **District 63A in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. She serves parts of Minneapolis in Hennepin County and is the first Japanese American elected to the state legislature, as a fourth-generation Japanese American whose grandparents were interned during World War II. A working mother with partner Lance and two children, she grew up in Minneapolis and has focused her career on education and community leadership.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: B.A. in critical theory and social justice from Occidental College ; M.E. in educational leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education ; Policy Fellow at University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs .
• Professional Experience: Began as a teacher at Citizen Schools in New York City; coordinator at Safe Passages and community schools director at United for Success Academy in Oakland, California; since 2017, executive director at 826 MSP, a nonprofit after-school writing program serving Twin Cities students; currently a nonprofit consultant.
• Political Experience: Elected in 2022 to an open seat following redistricting and the retirement of incumbent Jim Davnie; currently in her second term. Serves on committees including Education Finance, Transportation Finance and Policy, Children and Families Finance and Policy, Agriculture Finance and Policy, Workforce Development Finance and Policy; member of the House People of Color and Indigenous Caucus and Minnesota Asian and Pacific Caucus.
• Notable Achievements: Authored a bill requiring Minnesota high schools to offer ethnic studies courses, emphasizing benefits for students of all racial and ethnic identities.