Hi Hue Girl! My name is Naya Dukkipati. I am an Indian American teenager who has grown passionate about empowering young girls and raising awareness for women's issues.

 

During my freshman summer, I attended a women’s leadership program at Brown University by default. I say the word “default” loosely because I initially applied for the Business program, but it was filled, so I had to choose another program. I decided to attend the Women and Leadership program reluctantly because I didn’t want to be in a room with a bunch of feminists. This may seem concerning but that’s because I didn’t know what “feminism” truly was. My naive 15-year-old self thought feminists were women who believe in female superiority and don’t care about men’s issues. I came to quickly learn that this wasn’t true at all. 

 

I was an outspoken kid, but talking about gender equality, the wage gap, and the emergence of the concept of intersectional feminism made me learn how to articulate my ideas in a way to facilitate discussion. I found myself learning from other girls with various backgrounds. In this room, I could see girls gain the confidence to speak their minds and be vulnerable because of the comfortable environment that was established. One girl had come out as gay, another had talked about her mom being a Trump supporter, another talked about their eating disorder, and I had talked about my issues with colorism and identity being a twin and a darker-skinned Indian. 

 

By the end of the program, I noticed my classmates and I had become a tight-knit family in two short weeks. This sense of community was something I didn’t want to lose and something I wanted to build for other girls. This is why I created the Fade Into Hue Community -- for girls to come together and learn about women’s issues, share their stories, and find a place where they feel like they belong. 

 

I hope through this site, my upcoming book, and social media, I will be able to empower other women to overcome adversity, love themselves, and support other girls. Let’s build the Hue Girls Community together!

 

Best wishes, 

                     Naya