Join the global conversation about how we market to the human body and what it means for our health and humanity.
Humans in Conversation
Humans in Conversation (HIC) is a global empathy lab where people gather at their kitchen table (or wherever they meet) to talk honestly about living in their bodies and what it feels like when systems see them… or don’t.
We collect these stories and bring them to the four forces shaping wellness—State, Science, Storytellers, and Society—so they can design better, more human-centred messaging.
Upcoming HIC events.
Lagos, Nigeria
Details to come
Host:
Bari, Italy
Details to come
Host:
London, UK
Details to come
Host:
Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Details to come
Host:
Baltimore, USA
Details to come
Host:
Florence, Italy
Details to come
Host:
Denmark
Details to come
Host:
FAQs
What is HIC, Humans in Conversation
Humans in Conversation is where empathy meets action.
We collect stories from around the world about health, wellness, and the human body and examine them for recurring themes. We then present these stories to the four forces shaping wellness narratives: the State, Science, Storytellers, and Society (S4).
We believe these stories can change how we craft health messaging and policy.
How HIC Works
HIC operates on two levels:
1. Story Circles
Community-led, phone-free spaces where people speak for themselves—not as representatives, but as individuals with lived experiences.
There’s no institutional script, no facilitation bias—just humans in honest conversation.
2. The S4E Summit
We don’t stop at stories.
Insights from our circles are brought to the S4E Summit—an invitation-only gathering where leaders in healthcare, government, media, and culture explore how we can build systems and construct narratives rooted in empathy.
Why It’s Different
Unlike traditional formats such as focus groups or stakeholder consultations, HIC is radically human-centered.
It’s not about collecting answers—it’s about witnessing lives.
We don’t ask people to perform pain or translate trauma. We invite them to speak, be seen, and be heard without an agenda.
How You Can Help
Host a story circle - online or offline, where you live
Help with story processing to identify themes and actions
Help with the S4E Summit
Connect HIC with your network of policymakers, funders, and healthcare orgs
Collaborators
HIC is an open system where collaborators - healers, leaders and makers - work together globally to make the human body feel seen. Below are some of the initial collaborators and volunteers
Patrick Chaulk - USA: former assistant commissioner of health, Baltimore City Health Department
Kayla Joy -
Funke Micheals
Robbin Gheesling
Ramien Pierre
Sam Dokswell
Boluwatife, Healthassay