385: What Miss America Never Told You: Colorism, Courage & Finding Love with Nina Davuluri

What happens when you're too dark to be Miss India... but not American enough to be Miss America? In this deeply vulnerable and powerful episode of The Brave Table, I sit down with Nina Davuluri—activist, entrepreneur, and the first Indian-American Miss America. She takes us behind the scenes of her viral win, the backlash, and how colorism shaped her identity, her advocacy, and her new documentary COMPLEXion. From growing up in a world that worshipped whiteness to dismantling billion-dollar beauty brands’ skin-whitening products, Nina doesn’t hold back. If you’ve ever felt not enough—too dark, too loud, too ambitious—this one’s for you. What you'll get out of this episode… The shocking moment that shaped Nina’s awareness of colorism What really happened the night she won Miss America The real cost of fitting into beauty ideals in Western and South Asian cultures How Nina helped push major beauty brands like Unilever, L’Oréal, and Johnson & Johnson to drop or rebrand whitening products Her advice for healing self-worth and reclaiming beauty on your own terms How her relationship with her now-fiancé reminds us that true connection sees beyond appearance, fame, or ability Connect with Nina WEB / https://www.ninadavuluri.com IG / https://www.instagram.com/ninadavuluri YT / https://www.youtube.com/@Nina.Davuluri WATCH COMPLEXITY / https://www.amazon.com/COMPLEXion-Nina-Davuluri/dp/B0B8KZ32BG Breathe better with JASPR As a mama healing from mold toxicity, air quality has become deeply personal for me. JASPR removes 97.1% of mold in just 1 hour. Use code BRAVE for $400 OFF: https://jaspr.co/brave Support your body with REJŪV My go-to science-backed red light therapy for faster recovery, reduced soreness, and deeper repair. Try it today with code BRAVETABLE: Https://werejuv.com/?ref=NEETABHUSHAN Want more? ✨ Buy 2, Get 1 FREE – Chai Tonics Holiday Bundle is here! Gift (or keep!) our signature blends—Focus Flow + Rose Ritual—when you buy 2 blends, you’ll get 1 FREE. Use code HOLIDAY to get yours now at https://bit.ly/trychaitonics 🌿 Need focus, recovery, or balance? Take my FREE quiz to find your perfect wellness boost → neetabhushan.com/chaiquiz Follow along for more tips, community, and resources to brave a better you! YOUTUBE / @TheBraveTable IG / @neetabhushan IG / @thebravetable TIKTOK / @neeta.bhushan WEB / https://neetabhushan.com If you loved this episode, check out… Ep. #235: Why An Alcohol-Free Lifestyle is the Health Trend We Need Now with Aishwarya Balaji ( Apple | Spotify | YouTube ) Ep. #184: Dealing with loved ones addiction, alcohol abuse, and how to be there for them with Mindy Hofman ( Apple | Spotify ) Ep. #319: Breaking the Quiet Asian Stereotype—Loudly with Dr. Lalitaa & Simone Heng ( Apple | Spotify | YouTube ) To receive a free gift, email a screenshot of your 5-star review of The Brave Table to support@globalgrit.co 😘 Dr. Neeta Bhushan is a 5x award-winning author, emotional health advocate, and host of The Brave Table podcast. CEO of Highest Self Institute and author of That Sucked, Now What, she’s been featured in Forbes, ABC, and more. A former dentist turned global speaker, Neeta’s work blends psychology, ancient wisdom, and resilience from her own life experiences. She's also a mom, wellness lover, and chai enthusiast.