Filipino grad student gets prestigious Top 30 Under 30 Award

MA (Anthropology) student Kevin Chavez Laxamana. TWITTER

EDMONTON, Alberta — Digital and social media associate Kevin Chavez Laxamana, a master’s student in anthropology, was one of three University of Alberta graduate students who received a prestigious Top 30 Under 30 award from the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation on Tuesday.

The prize recognizes young people who are “making the world a more just, fair and sustainable place for all.” Laxamana was awarded for his master’s research into the experiences of transgender women sex workers in Singapore and Bali.

His study, conducted in collaboration with community organizations in both regions, examines how transitioning, de-transitioning and other personal experiences affect the women’s life cycle. By focusing on gender equality, a U.N. Sustainable Development Goal, it speaks directly to the mandate of the ACGC.

Laxamana was also honored for his extensive volunteer contributions, particularly as a leader and community builder in the Filipino community of Edmonton.

“We’re extremely proud of Kevin’s work as an engaged, conscientious, community-based scholar, and as a valued member of our FGSR team,” said Dr. Brooke Milne, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.