Name: Neha Kinariwalla
Job Title and Description: Founder/CEO Humanology Project, an organization for destigmatizing mental illness
College Name/Major: Stony Brook University, Sociology & International Studies
Website:www.humanologyproject.org
Twitter Handle:@nehakinari
Instagram Handle:@nehakinari
What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
Neha Kinariwalla: I’m currently the chief executive officer and founder of the Humanology Project. There definitely isn’t a “typical day.” One day could be looking into ways to optimize metrics on the website; another could be more research-based where I will look into stigma reduction theories or surveys to incorporate into the mission.
What is the best part of your job?
NK: Definitely the gratification! Seeing your hard work come to life in such a tangible way is a beautiful thing.
What inspired you to start The Humanology Project?
NK: When I was a second year during my undergraduate degree, I began research at Oxford University on social stigma for epilepsy. It was incredibly exciting at first, but after a few weeks, I felt my research wasn't going to have a direct impact on the people who needed it the most. So I wanted to find a way to relay information directly to the public. My research had revealed that two powerful ways of destigmatizing mental and neurological illness: education and storytelling. The Humanology Project resulted as a culmination of these two things. We tackle education by allowing students to translate peer-reviewed literature into a blog post that could better be understood by the public. And we have a storytelling platform where patients who suffer [from] neurological or mental illnesses can share their stories. I want the Humanology Project to result in an inclusive world where people are getting the quality of care they not only need but deserve.
For the goal of the Humanology Project, I wanted to remove the stigma and the myth-making from the disease for patients. I wanted to ensure that people who felt their voices suppressed because of their circumstances had new channels of communication, and that's the internet's greatest strength: giving everyone a platform. So, if someone in Delhi can log on through their laptop and read about someone in Paris suffering from the same issues they are, and get some strength from that, I think it's a good thing.
What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
NK: I think one mistake I made was not having a clear enough vision starting off. I was 20 when I started the project and had no idea how quickly things would escalate.
What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?
NK: Surreal moments happen every day. When I see people turning to the website for support or comment on the connection they feel with the stories—that makes it all worth it.
What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
NK: Efforts are never in vain. Somehow, somewhere, all of that work that you put into something you love will pay off. Even if you don’t realize it at first.
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
NK: You are most certainly not too young to jump into something. Whether it’s getting involved with an organization you’ve always admired or just putting ideas to paper, being the youngest in the room definitely has its upsides!