Julia is a rising junior at Duke who will be interning at Hollaback! this summer.

I never considered myself a feminist. Feminism was not a topic that was regularly talked about amongst my family and friends from my suburb of Philadelphia. I remember listening to a conversation my peers were having about feminism in high school where one asked the other if he was a feminist. He replied, “I’m not a feminist, I’m an equal rights activist.” I was content with his answer, and I decided to deem myself an “equal rights activist” as well. After all, the made-up term seemed to encompass more than just equal rights for women, which I appreciated.

During the first week of class in my first year at Duke, I remember attending Women’s Collective, an all-women discussion group that meets at the Women’s Center once a week to discuss gender inequities on campus. I decided to go to the meeting because two of my friends from my pre-orientation program were also going. Well before I was subjected to my first round of midterms, I was exposed to the gender inequities that permeate every aspect of campus life. I admittedly became pretty nervous about Duke after listening to the stories these women told about feeling uncomfortable in the classroom, social scene and beyond. However, I decided to remain positive and told myself I would have to experience Duke for myself before I formed any opinions on these gender-related issues.

Two years later, I’m a rising junior majoring in psychology and minoring in global health, and I’m participating in the Moxie project this summer in New York City. I’ll be working for Hollaback!, an organization whose mission is to end street harassment. While it may seem trivial to some, street harassment is a form of sexual harassment that affects millions of women and LGBTQ people.

As a Philadelphia native, I’ve made the two-hour drive up to NYC dozens of times. Most of these were day trips, and I don’t think I’ve ever stayed for more than 48 hours. The noise, the pollution, the people, the cars, the lights – I’ve always liked to take them in small doses. This summer, I’ll be putting my love of the serene Duke Forest behind me and embracing the concrete jungle for two months. I’m eager to finally get to know the city that never sleeps and navigate the grid. And I’ll be sure to learn the quickest route to my workplace and to Central Park!

How did I get here?

As a pre-health student, I always desire the opportunity to take a break from the chemistry textbooks. After spending two years in college, I have become enraged that Duke students are not surprised when they hear the story of the latest sexual harassment or assault victim. When I am in a room full of my 90 sorority sisters, I am terrified by the prospect that about 22 of these women will experience gender violence before they graduate. As women’s issues are becoming more and more present in my life, my determination to take action increases exponentially. I am ready to truly understand complex feminist issues by learning from experts in the field and partaking in social activism.

My name is Julia Carp and I think I’m a feminist.