Dakshima Haputhanthri is a (former) Attorney from Sri Lanka and now a Registered social worker. She is passionate about creating safe spaces in the community, Diversity and Inclusion, Equality and LGBTQ2S+ support, mental health, community capacity building, and programming for youth.
As a queer woman of colour, she has said she struggled immensely to find her way in Calgary, and now completing five years here, she would say it’s a home away from home for her.
Advocacy and Volunteering are her ways of giving back to the community. She volunteers with many organizations either as a board member or as an advisor, City of Calgary, Calgary Police Services, University of Calgary - Faculty of Social Work are some of the places she volunteers.
She is the founder of Dilipani and a Rainbow Light Woman where she provides support and guidance to those who are struggling to come out and help bridge the relationships between them and their families. She herself has gone through tumultuous struggles and trauma in coming out and she wants to be that safe space and guiding light to someone who needs her.