There are events in our lives that either transform us or tear us apart. Only Human is a podcast of unexpected and sometimes surprising personal portraits.
Podcast Overview
There are events in our lives that either transform us or tear us apart. Only Human is a podcast of unexpected and sometimes surprising personal portraits.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
7/23/2020
1 verified contact email on file for Only Human
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
September 2, 2020
Five Month War
<p>Leaving behind everything he'd ever known to help people struggling in his community wasn't something Abubakar (Abs) expected to do in his early twenties. But when war broke out in his hometown he had no other choice.</p><p>"It was a mixed emotion," says Abubakar Basman of the decision to join a rescue team when his hometown - Marawi City, in the Philippines - was attacked by members of a terrorist group associated with ISIS, in what became known as The Battle of Marawi. </p><p>When the siege broke out in May 2017, Basman had just returned from the United States where he was selected as part of a youth leadership programme to learn about building community resilience in the event of a disaster. Yet, he could never have anticipated that one would strike in his hometown.</p><p>Only 21-years-old, he was the youngest member to join the volunteer team and says the snap decision came as a calling. </p><p>"This is my purpose," he says with a smile. </p><p>But arriving in Marawi City was confronting and frightening. His hometown was unrecognizable.</p><p>"There were terrorists with heavy caliber guns and grenades," says Basman who witnessed families with young children and babies fleeing from their homes. </p><p>Basman has had experiences that will remain with him forever. None of the volunteers had any disaster aid training before joining the rescue team, who the media later tagged, The White Helmets of Marawi. </p><p>The volunteers were running on instinct and learning on the job. </p><p>Tears well up in his eyes as he recalls his first retrieval mission.</p><p>"I discovered the smell of a dead body...a dead human," says Basman of a stench that permeates hair and clothing well after leaving the scene where he helped to collect remains of men who had been shot by the terrorist group. </p><p>"There's no flesh, but it still stinks like rotten meat." </p><p>It's been three years since the siege took place in Marawi City, a place that will never be the same again. Just as Basman's life has also changed and today, he's committed to a path of helping those in his community. </p><p><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/only-human?share=elf_audio_2018759348">Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details</a></p>
August 26, 2020
An Invisible Battle
<p>A young woman uncovers a dark family secret, while facing an invisible battle with depression and the fight to come out the other end.</p><p>Warning: this story contains discussion around depression, anxiety and self-harm and may not be suitable for all listeners. </p><p>In a series of photographs, Suzie Harris' bare arms are painted gold; the undersides revealing raised thatched lines. And on closer inspection, it is hard to distinguish where one line ends, and another one begins. </p><p>These images are brave and confronting. Harris invites the viewer to take a deep dive into her emotional world. One that she tried for so long to suppress.</p><p>On this week's episode of RNZ podcast Only Human, Suzie Harris shares the challenges of going through the mental health system, coping with mental distress and self harm and what it means to come out the other side.</p><p>In her early thirties, Harris lights up a room. She has an openness and vulnerability that is easy to warm to and when you meet her, you know you've met a very special person.</p><p>But for the budding artist, coming to grips with who she is has come with a great deal of pain, and a process of both acceptance and letting go, when her feelings and thoughts overwhelm her. </p><p>"This is how self-harm would look if I met it on the street," says Harris who points out a mangled and twisted form on the wall of a small Wellington art gallery.</p><p>Harris held her first ever art exhibition in 2019. The work traced her journey of self-discovery, exploring what it means to live through depression and recover from complex post-traumatic stress disorder, a diagnosis she was given in her twenties after a series of attempts to take her life.</p><p>Harris grew up in the UK and moved to New Zealand as a teenager. She has always been sensitive to her surroundings and during her childhood her parents moved from one place to another with their daughter and Harris' other siblings in tow. But Harris struggled to adapt.</p><p>Changing schools on a regular basis didn't help. She struggling with the constant cycle of making friends and leaving them behind. This was later compounded by bullying so traumatic that any child would be inclined to withdraw. In one instance she had acid poured onto her, and another, where her hair was set alight.</p><p>In attempts to suppress the feelings of humiliation, fear and pain, Harris became trapped in a vicious cycle of self-harm that she kept hidden, with her family unaware of what she was experiencing. </p><p>But today, things are looking brighter for Harris who is on a mission to help others.</p><p><strong>Where to get help:</strong></p><p>Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor…</p><p><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/only-human?share=elf_audio_2018759369">Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details</a></p>
August 19, 2020
Influencer Nation
<p>Today, social media has bridged the gap between distance and human connections, but at what cost? We meet a photographer-turned-influencer whose every waking moment comes with mounting pressure and anxiety driven by pressure from brands and the number of likes on her instagram feed.</p><p>In 'Canopy of Dreams,' by photographer Jenny Gao, two men walk beneath rows of lush, hanging ferns as coloured flecks of light bounce off their clear umbrellas. This photograph is dreamlike and tells a story. And it is this kind of work that Gao has become known for.</p><p>Gao created the image for an ad campaign for Rotorua Tourism, and posted it to her instagram account Otherworld.ly. </p><p>As soon as she did, she had a feeling it would become a viral hit. She was right. </p><p>In this episode of Only Human, photographer-turned-influencer, Jenny Gao, tells why sharing her art on instagram led to a world she never dreamed possible. </p><p>Social media has enabled people to share their stories, voice their opinions and broaden their network base, while also making genuine connections that wouldn't be possible otherwise. And for artists, instagram is the platform of choice to share and promote creative work...but at what cost? </p><p>"User experience designers of social media platforms don't even use it themselves because they've designed it in a way that is intentionally there to keep you on for as long as possible," says photographer and now documentary maker, Jenny Gao. </p><p>Gao knows all about the reality of dealing with the pressures of social media. </p><p>While working as a User experience designer overseas, the design graduate began honing her photography skills. That's when she started sharing her work on her Otherworld.ly instagram account in 2015, having started her first account in 2012 when the platform was a fun place to share photos and adventures with friends and the influencer market was yet to be invented.</p><p>But a year after carefully curating her Otherworld.ly account, brands started approaching her, offering exciting deadline-driven, fast-turn-around creative projects that kept her on her toes. Gao says it was an environment she thrived in. </p><p>At 26, projects came flooding in and people were recognising Gao for her talent. Making a living off her art was a dream come true and led her to opportunities she couldn't have imagined otherwise.</p><p>"I said yes, to a lot of brands that resonated with me and I just loved that quick iterative process the influencer marketing allowed me to do," says Gao, whose portfolio includes working with big brands like ASB and Air NZ. …</p><p><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/only-human?share=elf_audio_2018759368">Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details</a></p>
7 total episodes available
Deep-dive analytics for Only Human
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is Only Human?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.