Suzanne Samaka / Campaigner. Career woman. Mother. Firestarter.
NAME: Suzanne Samaka
MONROE MUSE: THE CHANGEMAKER
Suzanne Samaka is a changemaker, campaigner, and unapologetically proud mother using her voice to open doors for others. From growing up in a single-parent household to launching a mental health campaign discussed in the House of Lords, Suzanne has built a life rooted in resilience, advocacy, and fierce authenticity. In this Strength & Style spotlight, we explore how her story, her style, and her unapologetic presence are inspiring the next generation—starting with her own daughters.
“I am a mother and I parent loudly—to make space for other women to do the same.”
There are some women who wear their strength quietly. And then there are women like Suzanne Samaka—who wear it in colour.
In bold, unapologetic hues. In full commitment to showing up—whether that’s in a boardroom, on a protest stage, or at the school gates with two daughters in tow. Suzanne’s journey hasn’t been punctuated by one defining moment of adversity, but rather shaped by a slow, determined climb from humble beginnings to high-level banking, advocacy work, and policy-shifting impact.
She didn’t get a leg up. She didn’t have insider connections. What she had—still has—is a fierce work ethic, an unwavering belief in showing up for those without a voice, and a very real understanding that opportunity shouldn’t be a postcode lottery.
Resilience, Not Privilege
“I grew up in a single parent household,” Suzanne tells us. “My mum worked two jobs just to keep us afloat. It wasn’t a bad childhood, but I look back now and see the weight she carried. I always wanted to earn my own money because we never had enough.”
That early exposure to struggle shaped her grit. She didn’t go to university, but built a respected career in banking through sheer determination: studying on the job, smashing every target, and never relying on anything other than the quality of her work.
That same work ethic now drives her mission to break down barriers for people from low socioeconomic backgrounds. “Being a mother only sharpened that mission,” she says. “I want my daughters to know that resilience, attitude and hard work can take them anywhere.”
Showing Up as Herself—and for Others
It wasn’t becoming a woman in the workplace that changed things—it was becoming a mother.
“The assumptions came thick and fast,” Suzanne explains. “That I’d lose ambition. That I couldn’t contribute in the same way. That I wouldn’t want to progress. And I couldn’t do as many after-hours drinks—where so many of those internal relationships get built.”
But she didn’t shrink to fit anyone’s assumptions. “I parent loudly so other women feel safe to do the same,” she says. “I want people to see that being a mother doesn’t make you less committed. It makes you more determined.”
Confidence, in Colour
Suzanne dresses the way she moves through the world: with clarity and confidence.
“I wear colour—especially when I feel low on confidence,” she shares. “Bright clothes signal to the world that I’m showing up strong. Fake it till you make it has got me through more than a few tough days.”
That connection between style and strength is something Monroe celebrates deeply—clothing not as costume, but as armour. As expression. As identity. And Suzanne embodies this perfectly: bold in her convictions, never hiding in the shadows.
The Power of Sharing Stories
From the banking world to policy change, storytelling has been a vital part of Suzanne’s evolution. Especially when it comes to highlighting class as a diversity issue that too often goes unseen.
“Socioeconomic background is a diversity issue that’s invisible—unless someone shares their story,” she says. “We grow awareness by talking. I’ve seen first-hand how stories make change.”
And change is something Suzanne isn’t afraid to spark. When she was six months pregnant with her second daughter, she launched a campaign around body image and young people’s mental health.
“I was scared—I didn’t know where to start. But that campaign ran for three years and was eventually debated in the House of Lords.”
All because she refused to wait for permission.
Strength, Style, and Knowing Your Worth
When asked what advice she’d give her younger self, Suzanne doesn’t hesitate: “Enjoy it. The time really does fly.”
Because now, she’s learned to do both—hold strength in one hand, and softness in the other. She’s learned to lead in colour, speak her truth, and parent with pride. She’s learned that style can be a feminist tool and that visibility—of stories, of struggle, of style—is power.
And in the world Monroe is building, women like Suzanne are the blueprint.
Monroe celebrates Suzanne Samaka as part of our Strength & Style campaign: a platform for women rewriting the rules, changing the narrative, and showing up exactly as they are.