In a bid to highlight our collective adaptation and resulting unity, female-founded brand Exhale has collaborated with exceptional local talent Waleed Shah and sukoun° identity studio to bring an image and ideology led campaign to us.
The poignant imagery photographed by Waleed accompanies a simple, zeitgeist message, that ‘we are not the virus’ and we must continue coming together as like-minded individuals to overcome adversity and challenge.
“The #CompassionIsContagious campaign is not a solution. It is a seed; a seed of empathy and compassion. We can never fix each other but can only be there for each other. Master it, for as humans we are gifted to feel.”
We sat down with the brilliant founder, Nawal, to get an understanding behind the meaning of the #CompassionIsContagious campaign and for insight into how we can remain creative, unified and busy in what has become a tempestuous future.
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Esquire: How can help each other to less lonely in a time so driven by literal self-isolation?
Nawal: By mastering the act of empathy and compassion. Being there for one another. Listening. Asking. Doing activities together digitally, for now. Motivate one another towards inspiring hobbies or simply letting one know taking a rest and not being productive all the time is also okay. Speak of inspiring, light topics. Digital meditation sessions and gaming sessions can also positively contribute to a much less stressful period.
If we act okay, it doesn’t mean we are okay, and we must know that it’s not shameful to ask for help or to be vulnerable as it is unfair for us to expect everyone to understand what is going on inside our minds. The aim is to be vocal.
Esquire: Exhale is a brand for the ‘rebellious dreamers, creators, doers…’ – how can people continue to dare and dream in times of such darkness?
Nawal: It is a dark, tough time. Especially when we look at countries such as Italy, USA, Iran and all those with rising death tolls. Or, even the countries and areas with low supplies such as Gaza in Palestine or Africa, which account for 212 million people who are deprived or have limited access to food and water, making this period of quarantine an even more challenging hurdle.
If you find yourself at home, under a roof, with a fridge filled with food and water, surrounded safely by people you love, then by all means utilise this time to create and materialise your dreams. This is a time where the world is speaking its raw honest truth with no filters. This is a time when all that you create, whether related to the pandemic or not, will come out of the depth of your core in a time of need and will most likely resonate with others.
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