Dr. Topeka K. Sam knows firsthand the disparities within the justice system, particularly regarding the differences in how male and female inmates are treated. According to Sam, during her time of incarceration she witnessed that women inmates often did not receive visits from their children and were not offered the same level of support after their release.
“The challenge I encountered was being a Black woman,” Sam shared. “Number one, because we are the least funded out of any demographic of entrepreneurs. But being a Black woman who has had a criminal conviction is even worse, and so the barriers were always there.”
After her release from federal prison, she set out to address some of the challenges women faced by founding the Ladies of Hope Ministry in 2017. The organization provided housing and platforms for women to use their voice and share their stories with others.
For Sam, who served as a division chairperson for Amtrak’s onboard services workers union, advocating against injustice had long been a core element of her life. This helped lay the foundation for her future endeavors in leadership and social justice advocacy.
In August 2025, Sam co-founded EPIC Health PBC, a public benefit corporation, with her partner, Garnett Smith. The company provides healthcare services to underserved communities, including low-income families, justice-impacted women and men, communities of color, and people who lack consistent access to primary care and prescription medications.
Sam’s dedication to serving vulnerable populations by providing life-changing access to healthcare earned her a place among Legacy magazine’s South Florida’s Top Healthcare Professionals of 2026.
EPIC Health PBC provides telehealth, telemedicine, and telepharmacy services. The company aims to provide quality healthcare and medications at affordable rates.
“I’m really excited about that because we’re licensed in all 50 states and credentialed to be able to support people all over the country,” she said.
She credits the support of family and friends, as well as being fortunate enough to have the necessary resources, with helping her fulfill what she considers her God-given purpose.
“It’s unfortunate that most people who are released don’t have the privileges that I had, and so therefore, they’re fighting for their lives. They’re fighting just to survive instead of being able to focus on thriving.”
In addition to earning a doctorate in Divinity from NY Theological Seminary and being an entrepreneur, Sam is also a public speaker who has overcome unique challenges to establish a meaningful career.
“…What kept me going was God and the fact that I know what I’ve been called to do,” she reflected. “And when you are purpose-driven and you’re moving in line with what you feel your purpose is, you know you have to pray and silence out the noise in order to get work done.”
