Turning Stigma into Story - Sofia Perez (M28)

A Global Perspective, Put into Practice

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Sofia Perez, Class of 2028, grew up in Miami and moved to the UK at the age of 13. With Cuban heritage and a life shaped by shifting cultural contexts, Sofia has long been drawn to the intersections between communities, disciplines, and ways of understanding the world. Now in Tokyo for her rotation, she’s channeling that perspective into a student-led project that turns a topic often treated with silence into something visible, approachable, and empowering.

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Sofia chose Minerva for the opportunity to learn across cultures while building real projects alongside peers from around the world. “I’ve always been between cultures,” she shared. “Being at Minerva and traveling with other Minervans has let me learn communities from the inside and see how different environments shape what we talk about, and what we avoid.”

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From Research Gaps to Real Conversations

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During her first year at Minerva, Sofia read “Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men” by Caroline Criado Perez. The book’s discussion of gender bias, especially in medicine, made abstract inequities feel immediate and personal.

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She began researching menstrual health and quickly recognized a recurring pattern: many people never receive accessible, timely education about their own bodies. The result is confusion, stigma, and unnecessary fear.

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Rather than stopping at awareness, Sofia decided to build something.

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Project Hysterica: Built by Minervans, for Impact

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The idea for Project Hysterica began casually. Sofia initially brainstormed a comic book that could help younger girls ask questions earlier and feel less alone. After talking through the idea with a friend, she intentionally chose the comic format to visually engage a younger audience and make conversations about menstrual health more accessible. It was something she felt she had lacked growing up. With no prior experience in comics, she decided to test the idea the simplest way possible—by sending a message to other Minervans.

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The response surprised her. Students across the community reached out with skills in illustration, writing, web design, and production. What started as a small experiment quickly evolved into a collaborative effort, with ten core contributors working together to bring the project to life.

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Alongside Sofia, the core Project Hysterica team includes:

• Lea Leisse - Illustration co-lead
• Bemnet Nigatu - Illustration co-lead
• Divya Tarak - Writing lead
• June Wang - Illustrator and Figma specialist
• Iulia Boangiu - Illustrator; led the free pad initiative in Minerva residence halls; current social media strategist
• Imma Nkata - Illustrator and social media strategist
• Doga Huner - Writer, illustrator, and web designer (built the project’s website)
• Hanna Hoijer - Outreach planning
• Gaja Dubanovic - Early social media strategy planning

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Their comic book, "Period an Origin: Story," blends humor, narrative, and accessible language to tackle stigma head-on. The team successfully launched a Kickstarter and is now fulfilling orders—turning a student idea into a tangible product with real reach. The campaign gained unexpected popularity beyond its immediate circle, receiving generous support from donors worldwide, including in Canada and Germany. 

Beyond the book, Project Hysterica is expanding into new initiatives, including art and storytelling workshops with Shinagawa Shouei High School in Tokyo to normalize conversations about menstrual health, as well as translating the comic into Japanese. Within Minerva’s Tokyo residences, the team has also funded free period-product boxes on every floor, easing the burden for students when they need them most. Through these efforts, Project Hysterica is growing from a single comic into a broader mission that supports school, local, and international communities.

Designing Against Stereotypes

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One of Sofia’s most memorable moments came from character design. As the team created Amara, the main character, they intentionally moved away from common portrayals of female superheroes that prioritize appearance over practicality. Instead, Amara wears cargo pants with oversized pockets and comfortable layering options—design choices that prioritize function and reject restrictive norms.

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