MEET SAMRA

No stranger to serving her community, Senator Samra Brouk was elected to represent New York’s 55th Senate District in November of 2020, making her the first Black woman from Upstate New York, and the first Black person from the Greater Rochester Area, to be elected to the New York State Senate. The 55th Senate District includes the east side of the City of Rochester along with several towns throughout Monroe County.

Senator Brouk is the Chair of the Senate Committee on Mental Health, and has made improving access to lifesaving resources a legislative priority. She proactively finds opportunities to address the intersection of mental health with topics including education, substance misuse, criminal justice, healthcare, race, and cultural competence. She serves on the Aging, Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Education, Elections, and Health Committees. Senator Brouk is also Co-Chair of the Joint Senate Task Force of Opioids, Addiction, and Overdose Prevention.

In addition to her work in the New York State Senate, Senator Brouk is a returned volunteer of the United States Peace Corps, having spent two years as a health educator in rural Guatemala. Following her return to the United States, Senator Brouk’s career in the nonprofit sector focused on organizations that protect the environment, help seniors age in place, and address education inequities.

Samra lives with her husband and daughter in the City of Rochester.