Nadya Okamoto – #TTBF Author Interview 2018

You are rocking the movement to make the idea of the period less taboo. Why do you think it’s so hard for people to accept this normal bodily function?

Menstruation has historically (in religion, media, pop culture, and society in general) been something that menstruators are made to feel ashamed of. It’s 2018 and it’s time for that to change.

You were one of Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21, you’ve already run for office, you have your own non-profit, and you’re a college student. With all that on your plate, what’s your favorite way to take a break and blow off steam?

I go to the gym on a daily basis. From dancing pre-professionally with ballet and modern dance, to soccer, basketball, and even playing on the boys’ varsity baseball team for a couple years in high school, I like to stay active. For me, the hour I spend at the gym every day is the time when I barely touch my phone (except to DJ my workout) and decompress from this digital overload.  I have pushed myself to embrace working out as an investment in myself and my own health. Plus, the endorphin rush is always a mood booster!

Our festival slogan is “Read Everything.” What book would you like to see on our “Read Everything” list for 2018?

My FAVORITE books are 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Roots by Alex Haley.