Alicka Ampry-Samuel

Alicka Ampry-Samuel (born May 6, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, she served as a New York City Council member for the 41st district. The district included portions of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Ocean Hill-Brownsville, East Flatbush, Crown Heights in Brooklyn.

In an upset, Ampry-Samuel was defeated for re-election in 2021 by Darlene Mealy, the former Council member whom Ampry-Samuel had succeeded four years earlier.

Early life and education
Ampry-Samuel was born on May 6, 1976 in Brownsville, one of the most impoverished neighborhoods of Brooklyn. She graduated from North Carolina A&T State University and the CUNY School of Law.

Career
Ampry-Samuel first ran for the City Council in 2005, but lost to Darlene Mealy in the Democratic primary.

Prior to public office, Ampry-Samuel worked as a Child Protective Specialist with the NYC Administration for Children Services.

From 2012 to 2014, during a stint at the US Embassy in Ghana, she worked as a communication and outreach specialist for the United States Agency for International Development and subsequently on a human rights portfolio in the Embassy’s Political Office. She also served as Chief of Staff for State Assemblywoman Latrice Walker.

New York City Council
Three-term Councilwoman Darlene Mealy was term-limited in 2017 and unable to seek another term. Ampry-Samuel was one of nine Democrats who vied to replace her, and she won the Democratic primary with just over 31% of the vote. She would go on to win the general election in the overwhelmingly Democratic district with over 95% of the vote.

Ampry-Samuel was sworn into office on January 1, 2018.

Housing and Urban Development
Ampry-Samuel was sworn into office as the Regional Administrator for New York and New Jersey of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on January 18, 2022.