Welcome to GirlTalkHQ!
As the founder and Editor-in-chief, I am so glad you found us. I started GTHQ as a side hustle in 2013 and it has grown into a platform and community that is focused on amplifying the voices and stories of everyday womxn and girls around the world.
Growing up as a young Indian woman who was born in the UK and raised in Australia, I often found it hard to fit in. I felt I had to juggle so many different identities depending on where I was. As a child of the 90’s I didn’t grow up with social media and didn’t get to see the plethora of role models, especially women of color and immigrants, that we see today dominating digital media spaces and beyond.
With early ambitions to move to Los Angeles and work in TV and media, I took for granted that I would have to break down many barriers of my own to reach my goals. Having hosted and produced shows for networks and platforms such as Fox, MTV, Disney, Nickelodeon, MSN.com, Myspace, Nine Network Australia, The CW and more, my background has given me a world of experience both in front of and behind the camera.
I became passionate about women’s rights and feminism at the age of 30 (I’m a late bloomer, I know!) after going through a divorce at 29. That experience rocked my world, but it led to so many more open doors. Having grown up in a religious environment, it took me leaving the church, leaving my first marriage, and reevaluating my career goals to learn more about myself and figuring out that I should stop waiting for someone or something “out there” to come save me or give me the answers in life.
Becoming part of various women’s networking groups and local feminist organizations in Los Angeles helped me finally find a path that truly represented who I was, and create the life that I wanted to live.
From an early age my mother planted a seed in me that drew me to stories about women who would defeat the odds and break barriers. She loved to watch independent Indian arthouse films, featuring iconic actresses such as Shabana Azmi, and be inspired by their determination not to accept second best in life. Both my parents are immigrants and loved watching documentaries and news shows about the Indian Diaspora across the world.
As a teenager I would buy magazines and rip out the feature articles about everyday women who were doing extraordinary things, and keep them in a folder, which I still have today. These women weren’t celebrities and they weren’t well known, but they were badass, brave, and bold.
Coming through the other side of a divorce and entering my 3rd decade in life enabled me to find clarity and return to my roots, nurturing the seeds that were planted in me long ago through my family. I realized I had a passion and a hunger for more stories about women like me who struggled, and never felt like they fit in, so I created the platform that I wanted to see – GirlTalkHQ!
We have tweaked a few things throughout the years and been able to find our unique focus, which is all about the everyday Shero. In 2020 I released my first book called ‘Today’s Wonder Women: Everyday Superheroes Who Are Changing The World’ which started out as an interview series on this site! The book features 50 womxn and girls who are creating inspiring change in their world. It was a full circle moment for me as a writer and content creator, and I am so proud of what GirlTalkHQ represents today.
GTHQ is a safe space that honors women, female-identifying individuals, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) and especially women of color. We are LGBTQ+ affirming, we are inclusive, and we especially give space to the most marginalized voices that traditional media ignores.
If you have a story to share or want to work with us, email info@girltalkhq.com or fill out the contact form below.
Love and light,
Asha Dahya
