The Human connection company
The world we live in is more complex, more diverse, and more interconnected than at any point in history.
The opportunities that result from this interconnected diversity are almost infinite. For the first time in history, each of us can learn from, exchange with, inspire or be inspired by, collaborate and co-create with, almost anyone on earth. This should be the greatest moment of collective thriving and prosperity in the history of the world.
But we human beings aren't wired for this. For most of our evolutionary history, we lived in small bands of extended-family tribes, where our survival was enhanced, generation after generation, by fear of outsiders and mistrust of difference. It's only by actively working against our worst instincts that we can find harmony, mutual respect, and shared prosperity.
Meanwhile, technology and social media stoke our fears and allow us to retreat inwards into our own bubbles and echo chambers, surrounding us with people who look and think and sound just like us, isolating us from different perspectives and cementing our belief that our way is right, our perspective true, and that others are misguided, ignorant, immoral or otherwise undeserving of our time and attention.
Instead of collective thriving and prosperity, we have polarization, fear, and mistrust. The world is turning away from all of the incredible opportunities that this moment affords.
Shared Studios works to overcome these barriers and to surface and amplify the opportunities for thriving that our interconnected world offers. We bring people and communities together across the vast geographic distances and deep differences in perspective that divide us, in order to recognize our shared humanity, explore the differences that make us unique, and embrace the opportunities for human flourishing that this interconnected world provides.
We help people and communities to overcome barriers and surface opportunities to thrive in a diverse and interconnected world
We work with partner organizations, large and small, across all domains, to bring people together in deliberate and immersive first-person encounters across distance and difference to:
- Recognize and celebrate the value and humanity in one another;
- Share stories, ideas, and inspiration;
- Spark curiosity and creativity;
- Collaborate and co-create across distance; and,
- Seek a deeper understanding of and appreciation for humanity in all its forms.
In particular, we work with:
- Schools and universities, to forge partnerships between distant educational institutions, enable learning directly from the source, and to prepare students for a globalized world.
- Arts and cultural organizations, to celebrate diversity in all its forms and enable new collaborations and co-creation across distance and cultures.
- Cities and civic organizations, to build community and connection within and between the places where we live, and to enable communities to share with and learn from one another.
- Global events, to bring new voices into important conversations and overcome barriers to participation.
- Large organizations and brands, to bring human connection back into our workplace and our daily lives, and to reverse the depersonalization of the global economy.
Our work:
- Builds empathy and understanding, (breaks down stereotypes)
- Develops global literacy and cultural competency, (prepares us to navigate a complex world)
- Spurs collaboration and enables insight, (opens up new opportunities) and,
- Provides a platform for communities to meet their own needs (builds coalitions)
We try to help people:
- Embrace difference
- Challenge assumptions
- Spark connection
