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Like many urchins growing up in the Lowers, Samira's childhood was a lesson in survival, skills honed out of necessity. These early years are split into two chapters in her mind: pre-Culler and post-Culler. The former are not worth remembering in Samira's opinion, years of uncertainty and squalor while scrounging for the next bite of food or a warm place to rest her head. Her luck changed when her skillful pick-pocketing and nimble escape drew the attention of a Culler, who introduced her to the family and brought her into the fold. This provided a sense of security previously lacking in her young life. Grateful for these newfound connections, she was eager to put her skills to use for the family however she was able. Once she had the protection of the Cullers, Samira was able to focus more time on her natural artistic talents, her idle habit of sketching on scraps of paper soon growing into not just a passing hobby, but an obsession.

At first glance, Samira is easy to overlook. Her diminutive height and slender frame impart an air of vulnerability, lending her the appearance of one who might simply blow away in a heavy gust of wind. Despite her frail build, she moves with agile alertness, a fiery glint frequently sparking in her expressive brown eyes. Her dark hair tends to defy any attempts to tame it, unruly waves falling to frame a tanned face. Her nimble fingers often bear smudges of charcoal or faded paint and rarely appear at rest.

Life in the Lowers has taught Samira to adjust her mood and responses based on the environment around her. Tough as nails, courteous, withdrawn - whatever necessity dictates. There is safety in being adaptable, she has learned. Those who manage to break past this ever-changing exterior are able to catch a more genuine glimpse of Samira. Her closest friends are rewarded with a well of compassion, fierce loyalty, and the company of a kind but quirky personality. She often manages to appear perfectly sociable and ordinary at first, but flashes of her eccentricity show themselves in small ways. She views the world with an artist's eye, inspiration sparked by even the most mundane aspects of life. Art has saved her, has pulled her back from the darkness that she feels looming; she is never so at peace as when she is engrossed in her artwork.