Introduction to Nadya Okamoto’s Mission
Period poverty is a global problem that affects millions of people by making it hard to get menstrual products and learn about them. Nadya Okamoto is an amazing woman who has dedicated her life to fighting it. Nadya Okamoto was born on February 11, 1998, in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in Los Angeles, California. She will be 27 years old in 2025. Her story of overcoming a tough childhood to become a well-known social entrepreneur, author, and women’s health advocate is inspiring. We look at Nadya Okamoto’s life, work, and impact as well as how she is fighting period poverty. We also answer some common questions about her work.
Early Life and Problems
Overcoming a Challenging Childhood
Nadya Okamoto’s childhood was not easy at all. She had a lot of problems growing up in Portland, Oregon, and then moving to Los Angeles, California. She was homeless and lived in an abusive home when she was 15. These events made her stronger and more understanding, which is why she wanted to help others who were going through the same things. Nadya Okamoto did very well in school despite these problems. She got into Harvard University, where she studied Political Science and Government and graduated in June 2021.
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Education as a Foundation for Advocacy
Nadya Okamoto’s time at Harvard University was an important turning point in her life. She got a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government because she wanted to work in a field that fit her love of advocacy and changing policy. She graduated in 2021 and used her time at Harvard to grow her work with Period Inc. and meet other young activists who cared about menstrual health and shared her vision for menstrual equity. Her schooling gave her the skills she needed to deal with complicated social problems and make her voice heard as a women’s health advocate around the world.
Founding Period Inc.
Launching a Movement at 16
Nadya Okamoto started Period Inc. when she was only 16 years old and still in high school. At first, the company was called Camions of Care. She started the organisation after talking to homeless women in Portland who told her how hard it was for them to get menstrual products. Nadya Okamoto was shocked by the reality of period poverty and took action by collecting and giving away menstrual products. By 2018, Period Inc. had grown into the largest youth-run women’s health NGO in the US, helping over 310,000 periods and starting over 200 campus chapters. This was a big step forward in Nadya Okamoto’s fight against period poverty.
Advocating Against the Tampon Tax
Period Inc. also wanted to get rid of the tampon tax, which is a sales tax on menstrual products that treats them like luxury items instead of necessities. Nadya Okamoto has been working to change this tax because it makes period poverty worse by making necessary items less affordable. Her work as one of the social entrepreneurs working to end period poverty has led to changes in policy in many areas.
Controversy and Change
Navigating Challenges and New Directions
Nadya Okamoto left her job as Executive Director of Period Inc. in January 2017 after being accused of wrongdoing. She quit the group completely later that year. This time was hard, but it was a turning point in her career. Nadya Okamoto took this chance to start new projects, focussing on new ways to fight period poverty and stigma as an advocate for women’s health.
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August’s Co-Founder
Building a Sustainable Period Brand
Nadya Okamoto co-founded August in November 2020. August is a for-profit lifestyle period brand that wants to make menstrual products affordable, sustainable, and easy to get. She is the CEO and runs Ask August, a judgment-free platform that helps Generation Z learn about menstruation. She also works to make sure that period products are of high quality. August is different from Period Inc. because it combines business innovation with education to make conversations about periods more normal. This shows how Nadya Okamoto is fighting period poverty through a business model.
Being an Author and Being in the Media
Writing Period Power to Inspire Change
Nadya Okamoto is also a very good writer. Her first book, Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement, came out in October 2018. The book talks about period poverty, the tampon tax, and the cultural stigma that comes with menstruation. It was named one of the best young adult nonfiction books of 2018 by Kirkus Reviews. It encourages young activists who are working for menstrual health to join the movement for menstrual equity.
Leveraging Social Media and Podcasts
Nadya Okamoto is well-known online in addition to her writing. She has over 4 million followers on TikTok and talks to them about things like mental health, menstrual health, and Gen Z culture. She also makes and hosts the podcast Tigress, where she talks about women’s health and empowerment. This makes her an even stronger advocate for women’s health.
Political Goals
Running for Public Office
Nadya Okamoto ran for a seat on the Cambridge, Massachusetts City Council in 2017. She wanted to bring her activism into politics. Even though her campaign didn’t work, it did a lot to get young people to vote. This experience showed how dedicated she was to public service and changing policies as one of the young activists working for menstrual health.
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Awards and Recognition
Celebrating a Trailblazer’s Impact
A lot of people have noticed how much Nadya Okamoto has done. In 2020, Forbes put her on its list of 30 Under 30 in Law & Policy, Bloomberg put her on its list of 50 “Ones to Watch,” and People Magazine put her on its list of Women Changing the World. These awards show how important she is as one of the social entrepreneurs working to end period poverty. Organisations have also praised her work; in 2016, they named her one of the 22 Under 22 Most Inspiring College Women.
Things That Are Happening Right Now
Leading August and Advocating for Change
Nadya Okamoto is still a powerful force as of 2025. As CEO of August, she is still in charge and is working on making period products more environmentally friendly and teaching people about them. As a social media influencer, she can reach millions of people and raise awareness about mental health and menstrual health. She talks about her own problems openly as a women’s health advocate to help reduce stigma and get more people to seek help. Nadya Okamoto is also a marketing expert for Gen Z. She uses her knowledge of youth culture to make the world a better place. Her podcast Tigress makes her voice even louder on issues of health and empowerment.
Effect and Legacy
Transforming Lives Through Menstrual Equity
Many people have been affected by Nadya Okamoto’s work. She gave menstrual products to people in need through Period Inc. and pushed for policy changes to make these products easier to get. August keeps this mission going by combining new ideas with teaching, and her book Period Power inspires a new group of young activists to work for menstrual health. Even though she has had to deal with a lot of criticism, Nadya Okamoto has been able to keep making a difference as one of the social entrepreneurs working to end period poverty.
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A Story of Resilience and Impact
Her story shows how powerful it can be to turn your own problems into chances to make a difference. Nadya Okamoto went from being a homeless teenager to a Harvard graduate and a successful businesswoman. She has shown that one person can start a movement. Her ongoing work makes sure that the fight against period poverty stays a top priority, which will lead to a more fair future.
Table: Important Events in Nadya Okamoto’s Life
| Year | Milestone | Description |
| 1998 | Born | Born on February 11 in Portland, Oregon. |
| 2014 | Founded Period Inc. | Started Period Inc. (originally Camions of Care) at 16 to help people who can’t afford their periods. |
| 2017 | Ran for City Council | Ran for Cambridge, Massachusetts City Council and got young voters to vote. |
| 2018 | Published Period Power | Released her book, which was a manifesto for the menstrual movement and got good reviews. |
| 2020 | Co-Founded August | Started August, a for-profit period brand, and left Period Inc. |
| 2021 | Got a Degree from Harvard | Got a BA in Political Science and Government from Harvard University. |
| 2025 | Current Role | As a women’s health advocate, she is the CEO of August, hosts Tigress, and fights for mental health and menstrual equity. |
Conclusion
Nadya Okamoto is a leader in the fight against period poverty. She has shown amazing strength and dedication through her early struggles and her rise to become a Harvard graduate, author, and CEO. Her work with Period Inc. and August has given menstrual products to people who need them, fought against unfair policies like the tampon tax, and started conversations about periods and mental health. Nadya Okamoto is still inspiring millions at 27 through her social media, podcast, and leadership at August. Her legacy as one of the young activists working for menstrual health and social entrepreneurs addressing period poverty is one of empowerment, showing that one person’s passion can make a difference.
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FAQ’s
1. What is period poverty, and why is it important?
When people can’t get menstrual hygiene products or learn about them, they are in period poverty. This can cause them to miss school or work and put their health at risk. This is a very important issue because it affects millions of people around the world and keeps gender inequality going. Nadya Okamoto is fighting period poverty through her work with Period Inc. and August. They do this by making products and pushing for systemic change.
2. What is the tampon tax, and why do people disagree with it?
In many places, the tampon tax is a sales tax on menstrual products that treats them as luxury items instead of necessities. This is a controversial issue because it makes a basic need more expensive, which hurts low-income people the most. Nadya Okamoto has worked to get rid of this tax so that period products are more affordable.
3. What made Nadya Okamoto want to be an activist?
When Nadya Okamoto was 16, she started her activism after talking to homeless women in Portland who had trouble getting menstrual products. She started Period Inc. to give out these products and raise awareness about period poverty. This was the start of her lifelong mission to help women’s health.
4. What is August, and how is it different from Period Inc.?
Nadya Okamoto co-founded August in 2020 as a for-profit company that focuses on sustainable menstrual products and education through Ask August. August takes a business approach to normalising periods and making products widely available, which is a new way that Nadya Okamoto is fighting period poverty. Period Inc. is a non-profit that focuses on advocacy and distribution.
5. What is Nadya Okamoto doing with August right now?
Nadya Okamoto is the CEO of August. She is in charge of making sure that young people have access to affordable, environmentally friendly menstrual products and teaching them through Ask August. Her work is focused on breaking the stigma around menstruation and making sure that everyone has access to period care, which makes her one of the social entrepreneurs working to end period poverty.
