Samantha Vang

Samantha Vang is a Minnesota state representative and a lifelong Minnesota native. Born in 1993 or 1994, she is the daughter of Hmong refugees and has been a longtime resident of Brooklyn Center. Before entering electoral politics, Vang worked as a community organizer and housing advocate, during which time she built an Asian American Pacific Islander coalition focused on civic engagement that helped over 6,600 Asian Americans vote.

In 2018, Vang was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, becoming one of the first two Hmong American women to serve in the chamber. She has represented District 38B, which includes parts of Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park in Hennepin County, since 2019 and has been reelected every two years since her initial election.

Education

Vang graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Communications Studies in 2016. She attended Armstrong High School for her secondary education.

Political Experience

Party Affiliation: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

District: 38B

Current Committee Positions:
- Chair of the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee
- Co-Chair of the Legacy Finance Committee
- Member of the Ways and Means Committee
- Member of the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee
- Member of the Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee

Notable Achievements and Leadership Roles:

Vang has held several leadership positions within the Minnesota House. In 2021, she was selected as Speaker Pro-Tempore and co-founded the Minnesota Asian Pacific caucus, serving as its founding member. She also served as chair of the People of Color and Indigenous caucus beginning in 2022.

Legislative priorities include tax relief for everyday Minnesotans, addressing mental health workforce shortages, improving public safety, tackling climate change, and spurring economic development. She has introduced legislation on environmental protection, including bills to end commercial turtle harvesting in Minnesota and to allow cities to ban pesticides designated as pollinator-lethal by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. In 2021, Vang was awarded a Legislator of Distinction by the League of Minnesota Cities.