Samantha Luxmikanthan

Sam is a Ph.D. student at the School of Social Work at Rutgers University. Sam's research interests are grounded in their clinical and community-based practice experience, where they have supported Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous and People of Color (QTBIPOC) communities through mental health services, advocacy, and program development.

Their professional and academic interests are deeply shaped by a commitment to social justice, health equity, and structural systems transformation. Sam aims to address (1) health disparities among QTBIPOC communities, particularly gender-expansive individuals, (2) the impact of state and carceral violence such as policing and surveillance, on community health and well-being and (3) gender-affirming care and the impact of structural violence and systemic discrimination on health outcomes. Sam's research interests are also deeply shaped by their engagement with immigrant and Asian diasporic communities, where they have supported community empowerment initiatives. Sam aims to advance transformative justice through research, practice, and policy.