In 2014, I co-created Priya with Ram Devineni as a direct response to the horrific assault of Jyoti Singh on a bus in New Delhi. The project became PRIYA'S SHAKTI, an AR-enabled comic book along with street art murals, educational cirrucula and gallery shows on five continents.

Designed to give a face to a growing movement amongst digital-native Indians standing against sexual assault, the project grew quicker than any of us expected:

πŸ’‘
β€œPriya’s Shakti is the first Indian comic book of its kind β€” not only confronting teenagers with the sensitive issue of sexual violence, but also engaging young people through its innovative use of augmented reality technology.” – Reuters
πŸ’‘
β€œA new superhero has arisen in India in the wake of the brutal gang rape on a Delhi bus two years ago: Priya, a mortal woman who is raped herself, but who fights back against sexual violence with the help of the goddess Parvati – and a tiger.” – The Guardian
πŸ’‘
There is a new weapon in the battle to prevent violence against women in India β€” a comic book. β€” Wall Street Journal
πŸ’‘
β€œShe is the Brown girl superhero the world needs right now.” β€” The Washington Post

Our protagonist Priya was honored by UN Women as a "Gender Equality Champion."

Soon, a second book followed: PRIYA'S MIRROR, which cast light on misogynist acid attacks:

It was launched with a solo gallery show of my comic pages at Lincoln Center as part of the 53rd New York Film Festival:

πŸ’‘
β€œA woman vanquishes her fears and dismisses the ridicule, speaking out as a survivor and becoming an inspiration to thousands of women in India who have faced the same ordeal β€” a modern-day female superhero.” – VICE News
πŸ’‘
"There is a new weapon in the battle to prevent violence against women in India β€” a comic book." – Wall Street Journal
πŸ’‘
β€œA survivor of gang rape in the first installment, Priya joins forces with acid attack survivors in the second, rendering the titular super-heroine tougher than your average Western badass chick.” – Filmmaker Magazine

While I moved on from the series at this point, Priya's Shakti continues to this day.