👑 “Leading with Love from Southeast DC”

Auntea: Natasha Dupee☕

Topic: Faith, Confidence, and Finding Community

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💌 Sugar Q: “Auntea, should I take the AP class even if my best friend didn’t get in?”

“Absolutely, sugar — go for it!” Natasha smiled. “Your path might look different, but that doesn’t mean you’re leaving your people behind.”

She remembers her own crew from high school — four best friends, all headed in different directions. “We didn’t go to the same schools, but we shared everything — our wins, our lessons, even what we were reading. That’s what real friendship looks like.”

💡 The Tea:

Don’t dim your light to stay in someone else’s shadow. When you grow, you make space for others to grow too. 🌱

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🏫 Sugar Q: “What was it like growing up in Southeast DC?”

“I’m a proud Southeast girl — Fairlawn, right off Pennsylvania and Minnesota Ave,” Natasha said. “We had big yards, pear trees, music on the corners, and people who knew your family by name.”

She remembers taking the 30 bus to School Without Walls and running to catch it some mornings. “We dressed for success because you never knew — one day we’d be at the State Department, the next day the Library of Congress.”

💡 The Tea:

Your zip code doesn’t define you — it prepares you. Every street corner, every bus ride is part of your story. ✨

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📚 Sugar Q: “Why do I have to take a foreign language? We all speak English!”

“Listen, sugar,” Natasha said, laughing. “I’ve learned French, Spanish, even a little ASL — and each one opened doors.”

She told the story of getting her hair braided at an African salon and realizing she could understand the conversation happening around her. “Language lets you connect — not just with people, but with culture. It’s about respect.”

💡 The Tea:

Speaking more than one language doesn’t just make you smart — it makes you global. 🌍

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🏀 Sugar Q: “My family never comes to my basketball games. Why don’t they want me to be great?”

Natasha took a breath. “Whew, I feel that one. But sugar, sometimes love looks different.”

She explained that parents might be working, helping other family members, or carrying responsibilities you don’t always see. “Just because they’re not in the stands doesn’t mean they don’t care. Look around — your coach, your teammates, even your teachers. They might be your found family.”

💡 The Tea: 

Family isn’t just who raised you — it’s who shows up. Accept love wherever it finds you. 💖

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🙏🏾 Sugar Q: “Is God real? How do you know?”

Natasha smiled softly. “Faith is the evidence of things we can’t see. Just like you can’t see the wind or the water under the ground — you know it’s there.”

For her, faith shows up in songs, gratitude, and the push to get up every morning. “That connection to God — or source, or spirit — it’s what keeps me steady. It’s real.”

💡 The Tea: 

You don’t have to have all the answers to believe. Faith grows every time you keep going. 🌤️

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🌞 Sugar Q: “What’s your morning routine?”

“Alexa, play John P. Kee!” Natasha laughed. “Every morning starts with music and gratitude.”

Her routine is a mix of devotion, breakfast, and slow coffee. “My dad says there’s no mission without nutrition. My mom always said spend five minutes on yourself — look in the mirror, fix your edges, and remind yourself you’ve got this.”

💡 The Tea: 

Gratitude hits different when it’s the first thing you choose. Start your day with thanks — and your shine will follow. ☀️

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💃🏾 Sugar Q: “What do you do to cheer yourself up?”

“I dance, sugar!” Natasha said with a grin. “If I can’t make it to the gym or the pool, I turn on some music and dance in the living room.”

When life gets heavy, she reconnects to what keeps her grounded — community, nature, movement, and music. “Even a quick two-step reminds me who I am.”

💡 The Tea: 

Joy is a choice — and sometimes it starts with a dance break. 🎶

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💋 Simi’s Sip

You don’t need to have it all figured out, sugar. Keep showing up, keep learning, and let your faith and fire guide you.

Your community, your joy, and your purpose? They’re already in you.

Not a lecture, just a sip of tea. ☕💖

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💁🏽‍♀️ Meet the Auntea— Natasha Dupee

Natasha Dupee is the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives (MOWPI). A proud Southeast native and fifth-generation Washingtonian, she’s passionate about helping young women find confidence, community, and purpose — right where they are.

✨ Follow: @natasha_dupee