What is Shared Humanity?

I look at psychology through a social lens because, as a journalist (ex-BBC and Forbes), I believe most problems are rooted in systems, not individual issues. Together, we explore:

• How do ordinary people find hope when the news seems bleak?

• How do communities recover from shared socio-cultural trauma?

• How can we cultivate happiness and support each other in doing so, even when the world feels like it's falling apart?

Shared Humanity tackles these questions without the burnout that comes with endless scrolling. Each post is designed to uplift you, offering connection, practical advice, and a reminder that we're all in this together. I hope these reflections and resources offer a sense of connection, support, and hope.

Inside, you’ll get:

• Expert insights from psychologists, sociologists, and other thought-leaders

• True-life stories that resonate—equal parts heart-breaking and heart-warming

• Research roundups that translate the latest findings into everyday language

• Cultural deep-dives from my travels (Bhutan, Zanzibar, El Salvador, and beyond) showing what we can learn from communities worldwide
  

Hashtags: resilience, trust, community, hope, agency.

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Why I created Shared Humanity (for me and for you!)

Over the past year, I've spent hundreds of hours interviewing psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, and most importantly, ordinary people who have lived through war, repression, and rapid change.

Then, I thought, why wait for the book to be printed and published? Others might find this information valuable now.

About me

Hi, I am Darya. I grew up in a tiny village yet found myself traveling across the globe—from Zanzibar to El Salvador—and studying in Ireland, the Czech Republic, and the UK before working in New York and London. I’ve lived in a green part of London for five years. It has a perfect mix of city life and village charm.

Writing has always been my passion. I did it professionally for years at places like Forbes and the BBC, contributed to The Guardian, and even found myself interviewed by The Atlantic. My work has included everything from hard-hitting investigations to in-depth interviews with notable figures like Jan Koum (WhatsApp) and Jack Ma (Alibaba).

I took a break from writing and focused on my design career. Then, I decided to challenge myself. I wanted to write a book, something I dreamed of as a kid. Now I am working on my first creative non-fiction book. I love being in the writing community in London. I recently took a creative non-fiction course at Faber Academy. I also join events by Write Like a Grrrl and connect with my writing groups here.

What a Paid Subscription Gets You:

• Exclusive interviews with psychologists, sociologists, and anthropologists

• In-depth essays on themes like self-compassion and resilience, featuring scientists and real people sharing both heart-breaking and heart-warming stories

• Audio recordings of every post

• Monthly deep-dives into countries I visit—cultural insights through a psychological and social lens, plus a downloadable PDF guide

• Live Q&A sessions every month

• Subscriber-only chat for ongoing conversation
  

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