I had goose bumps and wanted to reach out and touch the screen.

My experience was amazing! I had goose bumps and wanted to reach out and touch the screen. This is a new form of communication + A powerful concept – I really appreciate the opportunity to experience this portal to the other/self. We need more spaces where open dialogue can occur. Crossing political, cultural, geographic boundaries. These conversations remind us that we are bound more by our similarities than divided by differences. Thank you!

Mind blowing.... You are opening your soul and your thoughts to another human being.

To me this experience was mind blowing. Sharing to someone on the other side of the world makes you feel that you live in a place where everyone cares so much about time and space. You are locked in a container standing there “literally” naked.When a man naked, you are standing in front of someone, and this person can see your hands, the way you stand and move. You are opening your soul and your thoughts to another human being. It’s like a time machine. To him was 6pm to me was 9:10am. Time is not crucial, and space is nothing when you metaphysically are confined to express what makes a good day to you. Have you thought about it?

The Portal worked perfectly, like magic.

The Portal worked perfectly, like magic. I was transported to the life of a young photographer who is propelling herself toward studies in the US. We soon swapped stories of our travels and interests and as cliché as it sounds, we are all one community. I look forward to staying connected with this lovely and talented woman.

This experience was unimaginable and incredible.

With all the experiences I’ve had as an Iranian American and as a part of this community, this experience was unimaginable and incredible. I had a conversation with a complete stranger, someone who I would normally never meet. Thank you for organizing this experience. Please do it more! I can’t wait to meet someone from another place. There was a moment when all I wanted to do was jump through our boxes and see his street and show him mine. So we told each other about the weather and painted an image for each other. Mana

I am grinning. Overjoyed and inspired.

I am grinning. Overjoyed and inspired. What an incredible, powerful but off the same natural experience. I met Hama, a photography student in Tehran who had on infectious energy that you could feel despite the physical distance between us. We talked about stories and visions, little things and big things. She talked about Google like god, her “window to the world”. Hana encouraged me to write more, to share my story. We want to write together to create together. Thank you for curating this beautiful experience. 

I am forever grateful for this opportunity.

Wow. The whole experience felt so real! It was real! We are both married, and it was so eye-opening to hear how he spoke about his wife and kids. The deep respect he has for his wife, how happy he is to have kids, how much he thinks I should have kids! We are the same age, both run our own businesses, amazing. He was so thoughtful, so curious about me and my thoughts on the world. He openly acknowledged the difficulties between the US and Afghanistan, but he felt so much hope. Honestly, he had for more hope than I feel day to day, he has inspired me to keep writing my blog about different people and how they live around the world, and I am forever grateful for this opportunity.

A connection triggered. Lovely and almost ethereal.

A connection triggered. Lovely and almost ethereal.

The Portal is a gift of presence, connection and oneness.

So full in the light. Here. The Portal is a gift of presence, connection and oneness. I am so grateful to begin this day – in this way with a connection to a community of artists, a family of free thinkers. What a reflection of intention! What a powerful medium. So happy to be a part of this quiet, personal, passionate revolution of connection. So moved by the practice of our oneness. In the light. So full. Here. Best as ever, Sharese Bullock-Bailey

Profoundly beautiful...exactly what social media technology should be used for.

Amazing, incredible profoundly beautiful and connective experience. This is a terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary barriers that we put up between cultures and people. This is exactly what social media technology should be used for. It’s a beautiful, gorgeous bridge that I hope to see crossing more boundaries in the future. I am grateful and honored to be part of this art exhibit.

This is an experience like no other....I was emotionally speechless

This is an experience like no other....I was emotionally speechless

It was very real, almost like he was standing right there in front of me. It made me so happy I cried.

I had the chance to reconnect with my brother who was in Mexico City at the time. It was very real, almost like he was standing right there in front of me. It made me so happy I cried. I didn't think I was going to get to see him again in a long time and that experience made me so incredibly happy. Thank you very much for this!

Inspiring and groundbreaking.

Inspiring and groundbreaking. This is an amazing experience. Really works as art but as cultural diplomacy as well. Bravo!

Shared Studios Stories Portal was a unique, engaging, and rewarding experience for our conference attendees.

Shared Studios Stories Portal was a unique, engaging, and rewarding experience for our conference attendees. It was an eye-catching setup, but more importantly, it provided an opportunity for truly engaging, dynamic, and valuable interactions between people who would otherwise never had the chance to meet, share stories, support each other, ideate, etc. The conversations our attendees had with the two different groups in each Mali and Mexico were rewarding and valuable, for both parties. Watching people engage was incredibly rewarding, and our attendees felt the same having experienced the Stories Portal interactive experience. 

What the Portal does, is it doesn't just give you those faces. It's not a newspaper. You feel you are right there.

It is truly amazing. If you do nothing else I ever ask you to do, just do this. What the Portal does, is it doesn't just give you those faces. It's not a newspaper. You feel you are right there.

It's an amazing technology, making it seem like you're standing right in front of me.

It seem[s] like you're standing right in front of me. It's an amazing technology, but it also represents what this summit's all about which is young people from all around the world coming up with new ideas and making those ideas a reality. See, the good thing is when I sneeze, you have no danger of catching anything. It's one of the great advantages of…[the] Portal. I am glad that I had a chance to talk to you almost in person. It feels like you're standing right there... I want to go up and shake your hand... this is great.

This is really the most meaningful work I’ve seen at Twitter ever. So inspiring and so moving.