Women Who Reign: Sriya Tallapragada

Tell us about yourself, with a fun fact:
Hi! My name is Sriya Tallapragada, I am 14-years-old, and I live in New Providence, New Jersey! I am super passionate about the intersection between female empowerment and STEM, which is something I like to explore through my non profit, GirlsWhoSTEAM Inc. (girlswhosteam.com). We host conferences, classes, and workshops to close the gender gap in STEM. My passions for STEM are something I explore through my schools math and STEM club, and through personal research projects. Outside of that, I love writing topics especially centered around female empowerment. I play the violin for NJYS and swim for BAC. A fun fact about me is that my favorite comfort food is nutella dipped in cheddar cheese. #yum

Who is someone that inspires you?
Those who know me best are all too familiar with the superhero figurine display in my room. Over time, these collections will only grow. My fascination with Marvel and DC Comics stems from the idea that the characters themselves, imperfect as they may be, work against their obligations to use their strengths and do the right thing (save the world). This fandom is quite rewarding, but the real world that I live in consists of characters, made from flesh and bone, who are much more superior. My mother serves as one of the greatest leaders and influences that I know. Coming from rural India, she never had access to a good education system, much less the encouragement to ever study. However, her own intellectual curiosity drove her to not only receive higher education and a masters degree, but also to immigrate with my father to America and become a software engineer. Her work ethic and desire to give me more opportunities than she had growing up is, in my opinion, an epitome of courage. Although she may not have the super strength or the ability to manipulate minds just yet, her raw leadership and drive to do the right things confirms my belief that she is a real life superhero.

Describe a challenge you faced or a crossroad in your life.
There is nothing more demanding than a room full of teenagers with unflinching minds and unbridled excitement. Leading…