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Samantha Sencer-Mura

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Samantha Sencer-Mura
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 63A district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byJim Davnie
Personal details
Born (1989-02-02) February 2, 1989 (age 35)
Political partyDemocratic (DFL)
SpouseLance
Children1
ParentDavid Mura
ResidenceMinneapolis, Minnesota
EducationOccidental College (BA)
Harvard University (MEd)
OccupationLegislator
WebsiteGovernment website Campaign website

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

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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.[1][3]

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.[1][4]

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.[3]

Minnesota House of Representatives

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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.[1][3] 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.[1] 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

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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".[6]

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]

Electoral history

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2022 Minnesota State House - District 63A[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Samantha Sencer-Mura 19,398 90.16
Republican Kyle Bragg 2,087 9.70
Write-in 31 0.14
Total votes 21,516 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2024 Minnesota State House - District 63A[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Samantha Sencer-Mura 20,289 98.76
Write-in 255 1.24
Total votes 20,544 100.00
Democratic (DFL) hold

Personal life

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Sencer-Mura lives in Minneapolis with her spouse, Lance, and has one child.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Sencer-Mura, Samantha - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
  2. ^ "Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (63A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
  3. ^ a b c Dernbach, Becky (November 5, 2022). "Educators of color seek seats in Minnesota Legislature". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-01-08.
  4. ^ Dernbach, Becky Z. (2022-11-09). "Samantha Sencer-Mura elected Minnesota's first Japanese American legislator". Sahan Journal. Retrieved 2023-01-08.
  5. ^ The Associated Press (2022-12-27). "What Minnesota's most diverse Legislature means for policy". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  6. ^ a b Olson, Rochelle (January 23, 2023). "Minnesota Asian and Pacific Caucus leaders say they live in state of 'red-alert,' mourn shooting victims". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  7. ^ Faircloth, Ryan. "Bills would require Minnesota students to take ethnic studies, personal finance classes". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  8. ^ Shockman, Elizabeth (2023-03-24). "Legislators consider bill requiring ethnic studies in Minnesota high schools". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  9. ^ Deng, Grace (February 28, 2023). "Minnesota House committee passes ethnic studies requirement". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  10. ^ Serres, Chris (May 29, 2023). "87-year-old Minneapolis woman with brain injury wins struggle for bus safety". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  11. ^ "2022 Results for State Representative District 63A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  12. ^ "Results for All State Representative Races". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
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