{{short description|American social entrepreneur (born 1998)}} {{Resume-like|date=January 2024}} {{Use American English|date=December 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Nadya Okamoto | image = Nadya Okamoto 2018.jpg | caption = Okamoto at the 2018 Texas Teen Book Festival | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|2|11}} | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | education = Harvard University (BA) | political_party = Democratic | occupation = Entrepreneur, author }}
'''Nadya Teresa Okamoto''' (born February 11, 1998) is an American social entrepreneur who is the founder and former executive director of the non-profit organization Period Inc.,<ref name="Kasulis">{{Cite news|last=Kasulis|first=Kelly|date=September 28, 2016|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/harvard-period-girl-nadya-okamoto-helps-lead-menstrual-equity-movement-n655451|title=This Harvard 'Period Girl' Wants to Help Lead the 'Menstrual Equity Movement'|work=NBC News|access-date=2017-06-29|language=en}}</ref> which distributes menstrual hygiene products and advocates for ending what is known as the tampon tax.<ref name="Peel"/> In January 2020, Okamoto stepped down from Period Inc. as executive director; later that year, she left Period Inc. entirely after controversy over alleged misconduct.<ref name="Peel">{{cite news|last1=Peel|first1=Sophie|date=July 29, 2020|title=A Portland Student Became the Face of the Menstrual Equity Movement. Others Say She Silenced Them to Become Famous.|work=Willamette Week|url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2020/07/29/a-portland-student-became-the-face-of-the-menstrual-equity-movement-others-say-she-silenced-them-to-become-famous/|accessdate=October 9, 2020}}</ref>
In November 2020, Okamoto co-founded and began serving as CEO of August, a for-profit, lifestyle period brand.<ref name="Murray"/><ref name="Berger"/> The company also built Ask August, an educational "judgement-free platform" that "makes it easier for Generation Z to navigate the process of menstruation."<ref name="Rodriguez"/>
In 2017, Okamoto launched an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the Cambridge, Massachusetts City Council.<ref name="TeenVogue"/> Her debut book, ''Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement'', was published in October 2018.
== Early life and education == Okamoto was born in New York City and moved to Portland, Oregon, at the age of nine.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Akilah|date=April 13, 2017|title=19-year-old Harvard freshman runs for City Council|work=The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/04/13/year-old-harvard-freshman-runs-for-city-council/9rtqcygRtK3t9MqIeuUxkM/story.html|accessdate=October 11, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Jones"/> She is of Japanese and Taiwanese decent.<ref name="Kasulis"/> Her mother is Sophia Tzeng, and her father is Shintaro Okamoto. Okamoto is no longer in contact with her father, and she has stated that she experienced sexual abuse and domestic violence from him in her childhood.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tretler|first=McKinley|date=November 8, 2018|title=PERIOD talk with Nadya Okamoto|url=https://assembly.malala.org/stories/period-talk-with-nadya|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Assembly|language=en-GB}}</ref>
Okamoto attended the private K-12 school Catlin Gabel<ref>{{cite news|last=Dumont|first=Katana|date=October 26, 2015|title=Character Sketch PDX: Nadya Okamoto|work=Willamette Week|url=https://www.wweek.com/culture/2015/10/26/character-sketch-pdx-nadya-okamoto/|accessdate=June 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Contributor Nadya Okamoto|url=https://www.huffpost.com/author/nadya-teresa-229|access-date=2020-10-14|website=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref> In December 2019, Catlin Gabel School published a report on the school's history of abuse by faculty towards students, wherein Okamoto's experience of harassment and grooming from her student advisor of four years was included.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Manning|first1=Jeff|date=December 12, 2019|title=Scathing report outlines decades of sexual abuse, inadequate response, at Catlin Gabel private school|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2019/12/scathing-report-outlines-decades-of-sexual-abuse-inadequate-response-at-catlin-gabel-private-school.html|access-date=2020-10-14|work=The Oregonian|language=en}}</ref> Okamoto came forward publicly with more details on her experience related to the abuse in January 2020.<ref name="Manning">{{Cite news|last1=Manning|first1=Jeff|date=January 11, 2020|title=Catlin Gabel's dirty secret: Former students go public for first time about private school's dark side|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2020/01/catlin-gabels-dirty-secret-former-schoolgirls-go-public-for-first-time-about-private-schools-dark-side.html|access-date=2020-10-14|work=The Oregonian|language=en}}</ref> It was later revealed that her former student advisor was fired immediately after the inappropriate behavior was reported to the school.<ref name="Manning" /> He publicly denied all allegations.<ref name="Manning" />
During her senior year of high school, Okamoto received the Gates Millennium Scholarship.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hammond|first1=Betsy|date=May 4, 2016|title=23 amazing Oregon students win full-ride Gates scholarships|language=en|work=The Oregonian|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2016/05/21_oregon_students_win_full-ri.html|accessdate=June 30, 2020}}</ref> Okamoto was also a 2016 Coca-Cola scholar.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 17, 2018|title=December 2018 Connections|url=https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/blog/december-2018-connections/|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation|language=en-US}}</ref> She received the first place 2016 Most Valuable Student Scholarship by the Elks National Foundation.<ref>{{cite web |title=2016 MVS Scholarship Recipients Contest Winners |url=https://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/mvswinners.cfm |website=Elks |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309131525/https://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/mvswinners.cfm |archive-date=March 9, 2017 |url-status=deviated}}</ref> In October 2019, Okamoto was given Catlin Gabel's Distinguished Alumni award.<ref>{{cite web |title=Distinguished Alumni Awards |url=https://www.catlin.edu/our-community/alumni/distinguished-alumni-awards |website=Catlin Gabel School |access-date=December 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922195458/https://www.catlin.edu/our-community/alumni/distinguished-alumni-awards |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Okamoto was accepted into early admission at Harvard College and graduated in June 2021.<ref name="KimRaczka">{{cite web |last1=Kim Raczka |first1=Rachel |title=This Gen Z-founded period brand is building a community around sustainable, inclusive menstrual care |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90718217/august-sustainable-period-care |website=Fast Company |date=February 9, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Jones">{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=CT |title=This TikToker Wants the Internet to Like Periods. She Needs People to Like Her First |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tiktok-nadya-okamoto-period-august-canceled-1234634959/ |website=RollingStone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123174942/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tiktok-nadya-okamoto-period-august-canceled-1234634959/ |archive-date=November 23, 2022 |date=November 22, 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
== Career == In December 2014, Okamoto founded Period Inc. with her high school classmate Vincent Forand, originally under the name Camions of Care.<ref name="Kasulis"/> The organization distributes menstrual hygiene products, has campus chapters at universities and high schools around the United States, and advocates for ending what is known as the tampon tax.<ref name="Wischhover">{{cite news |last1=Wischhover |first1=Cheryl |title=How one woman is trying to end period stigma and the 'tampon tax' |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/18/17994380/nadya-okamoto-period-power |accessdate=June 30, 2020 |work=Vox |date=October 18, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Under her leadership as executive director, the organization registered 800 chapters in all 50 US states and 40 other countries.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Santilli|first=Mara|date=May 28, 2020|title=There's a Global Movement to End Period Poverty, and Young Women Are Leading the Way|url=https://www.popsugar.com/node/47498189|access-date=2020-10-22|website=POPSUGAR Fitness|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2017, Okamoto's organization hosted their first "Period Con," a global conference for young activists.<ref>{{Cite web|last=O'Brien|first=Sara Ashley|date=December 1, 2017|title=First Period Con celebrates everyone who bleeds|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/01/technology/period-con/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201184341/http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/01/technology/period-con/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 1, 2017|access-date=2020-10-22|website=CNN Business}}</ref> In 2018, Period Inc. made $420,000 in annual revenue<ref name="Peel"/> and in 2019 it was "the largest youth-run nongovernmental organization in women's health".<ref name="Bloomberg50"/>
Okamoto moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in August 2016 to attend Harvard College. Less than seven months later, Okamoto announced her candidacy for Cambridge City Council, with a campaign team primarily composed of other Harvard students. She was the youngest candidate in the race and focused her campaign on issues of affordable housing, education equity, and climate change. Okamoto eventually lost the election, taking 15th place out of 26 candidates.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vote.cambridgecivic.com/okamoto.htm|title=Nadya Teresa Okamoto – Cambridge City Council Candidate 2017|website=vote.cambridgecivic.com|access-date=2017-06-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://harvardmagazine.com/2017/10/nadya-okamoto-city-council | title=The Harvard Sophomore Aiming for City Council| date=October 13, 2017 |website=Harvard Magazine |last=Reichel |first=Chloe}}</ref><ref name="TeenVogue">{{cite news |last1=Okamoto |first1=Nadya |title=I'm 19 and I Ran for City Council |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/nadya-okamoto-explains-what-she-learned-as-a-candidate-for-cambridge-city-council |accessdate=June 30, 2020 |work=Teen Vogue |date=January 11, 2018 |language=en-us}}</ref>
In October 2018, Okamoto published her debut book, ''Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement'' with publisher Simon & Schuster, which made the ''Kirkus Reviews'' list for Best Young Adult Nonfiction of 2018.<ref name="Wischhover"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Best YA Nonfiction of 2018|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-ya-nonfiction-of-2018/|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Kirkus Reviews|language=en}}</ref> In 2019, Okamoto served as the Chief Brand Officer of Juv Consulting, a marketing firm that targets Gen Z.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cheslaw|first=Louis|date=July 29, 2019|title=Gen Z Are Pressuring the Travel Industry in All the Right Ways|url=https://www.cntraveler.com/story/gen-z-are-pressuring-the-travel-industry-in-all-the-right-ways|access-date=2020-10-22|website=Condé Nast Traveler|language=en-us}}</ref>
In 2017, Okamoto was named as one of ''Teen Vogue's'' 21 Under 21.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bridge|first=Lizzie Arneson at|date=December 15, 2017|title=Meet Teen Vogue's 21 Under 21 Class of 2017|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/21-under-21-2017|access-date=2020-10-22|website=Teen Vogue|language=en-us}}</ref> Okamoto was awarded the L'Oréal Women of Worth award at the annual ''Glamour'' Women of the Year ceremony in November 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Browchuk|first=Eliseé|date=November 12, 2019|title=Tears of Triumph and Cheers for Change at the 2019 Glamour Women of the Year Awards|url=https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/2019-glamour-women-of-the-year-awards|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Vogue|language=en-us}}</ref> In December 2019, Okamoto was named one of '' Forbes'' 30 Under 30 in law and policy<ref>{{cite news |date=December 3, 2019|title=Nadya Okamoto, 21 |url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/5ddd7cb0ea103f0006537307/nadya-okamoto-21/#15c8021332ae |accessdate=June 30, 2020 |work=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> and '' Bloomberg's'' 50 Most Influential Ones to Watch.<ref name="Bloomberg50">{{cite web |title=The Bloomberg 50 |website=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2019-bloomberg-50l |date=December 4, 2019}}</ref>
In January 2020, Okamoto stepped down from executive director of Period, Inc and moved into an advising role for the organization.<ref name="Murray"/><ref name="Okamoto">{{Cite web|title=Nadya Okamoto on Instagram: "BIG NEWS, @periodmovement is bringing on a new Executive Director! We've grown so much, and we're excited to keep going! ❤️ Yes, I'll keep…"|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B76pjmRHvtT/|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Instagram|language=en}}</ref> In June 2020, activists accused Okamoto of monopolizing visibility and resources for her organization; Period Inc. confirmed that Okamoto was no longer working with the organization.<ref name="Peel"/> Okamoto was also accused of exaggerating the extent of her experience with homelessness, as she had described herself as "legally homeless" during a period when her family was experiencing financial instability and living with friends.<ref name="Peel" /> Period Inc. later released a report on the allegations that summarized the consequences of the organization's rapid growth and visibility, which noted that Okamoto was working with a transformative justice group on accountability.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PERIOD Independent Review Dragonfly Partners|url=https://period.org/uploads/PERIOD-Independent-Review-Phase-1-Report-from-Dragonfly-Partners-Public-Version.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205174315/https://period.org/uploads/PERIOD-Independent-Review-Phase-1-Report-from-Dragonfly-Partners-Public-Version.pdf|archive-date=February 5, 2022}}</ref>
In November 2020, Okamoto co-founded the lifestyle period brand August with Nick Jain, the founder of Juv Consulting.<ref name="Murray">{{Cite web|last=Murray|first=Rheana|title=The period industry is all about shame — this brand wants to change that|url=https://www.today.com/tmrw/august-new-period-brand-wants-eliminate-stigma-shame-t199796|access-date=2021-01-14|date=November 24, 2020|website=Today|language=en}}</ref> Okamoto serves as the CEO of the company.<ref name="Berger">{{cite web |last1=Berger |first1=Chloe |title=The Gen-Z CEO and influencer with almost 3 million followers explains how she makes it work |url-access=subscription| url=https://fortune.com/2022/04/16/success-stories-ceo-nadya-okamoto/ |website=Fortune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417012620/https://fortune.com/2022/04/16/success-stories-ceo-nadya-okamoto/ |archive-date=April 17, 2022 |date=April 16, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Jones"/> In March 2021, August launched a free educational database called Ask August.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Srikanth|first=Anagha|date=March 30, 2021|title=Gen Z is taking their sex education into their own hands — and tackling period poverty in the process|url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/545627-gen-z-is-taking-their-sex-education-into-their-own-hands|access-date=2021-04-08|website=The Hill|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Rodriguez">{{Cite web|last=Rodriguez|first=Leah|date=May 28, 2021|title=This Judgment-Free Platform Is Ending Period Stigma One Embarrassing Question at a Time|url=https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/nadya-okamoto-august-period-products-database/|access-date=2021-09-16|website=Global Citizen|language=en}}</ref> August raised nearly $2 million for their seed round, led by venture capital firm, Hannah Grey.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ell|first=Kellie|date=June 25, 2021|title=Period Products Brand August Secures Nearly $2 Million as the Menstrual Industry Continues to Blossom|url=https://wwd.com/business-news/financial/august-period-brand-2-million-dollars-1234849151/|access-date=2021-09-16|website=Women's Wear Daily|language=en-US}}</ref> The company sells direct-to-consumer period products and pays the tampon tax for customers in states where the tax is applied.<ref name="KimRaczka"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Barnes |first1=Jenae |title=These Menstruation Startups Offer Solutions To Tampon Shortage |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenaebarnes/2022/06/25/these-menstruation-startups-offer-solutions-to-tampon-shortage/?sh=1a4f46041e91 |website=Forbes |date=June 25, 2022}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.period.org/ Period, Inc.]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okamoto, Nadya}} Category:American health activists Category:American people of Japanese descent Category:American people of Taiwanese descent Category:Living people Category:1998 births Category:Catlin Gabel School alumni Category:Harvard College alumni