1 May 2021

When I’m With Her

Stories of dimension.

For International Women’s Day 2021 When I’m With Her celebrates women’s stories across AKQA by depicting moments where they express their fullest selves (inclusive of but not limited to those who identify as female, femme, non-binary, transgender and genderqueer).

When I’m With Her has continued to expand to feature women from across the global studios of AKQA.

A woman in a black turtleneck sits indoors, smiling and holding a treat above the nose of a black and white dog who is sitting upright and reaching for it.

“Meeting him was like a forgotten memory suddenly crystallizing — a sense of “meant to be”. I was in a drought of hopelessness and his love showed up like the rain. roots grew. My footing steadied as authentic self took the reins, and conditioned acceptance of human superiority matured out of ego and into admission of what I had felt all along: no animal on this earth deserves neglect, exploitation, or abuse.”

Rae, Studio Manager, Portland

“I loathe the effortless. As a writer and musician, I’m often told that I make things seem ‘easy,’ but what people don’t see is how hard I try. They don’t see how much I read, how much I practice, how much I experiment and rehearse and rewrite. Things that take skill, time, challenge, struggle - those are the things that give me energy. I love the side of myself that wants to try harder, do the difficult thing, wear the tallest shoes and read the biggest books.”

Grace, Senior Copywriter, Amsterdam

A person with short dark hair, wearing a headband with ears, a sleeveless yellow top, black skirt, sheer black tights, and glittery heels, sits on stairs with one hand resting on their chin and legs crossed.

A woman with shoulder-length dark hair stands in moody lighting, her face illuminated by red and blue neon lights behind her, creating a dramatic and artistic contrast.

A hand wearing bracelets writes in a notebook under red light, with a lit candle on a floral coaster nearby and closed notebooks and leaves on a dark surface.

“The restlessness of the pandemic’s routine had mentally broken me. That was until I started writing, which, in the same way as meditation, is healing. It helps me to reconnect with myself and the surrounding world - and learn how to cherish the present in a daily moment of expression. My little moleskine follows me everywhere and each day, I catch up with sensitivity and think about every detail of the unique moments that brightened my day before transferring them onto paper.”

Diana, Office Manager, Paris

A woman kneels on the floor, smiling and holding papers, next to an overturned wooden stool. The scene is in black and white with a plain background.

“About to enter the scene, I hide in the backstage as a chrysalis in the dark. Through the curtain, spotlights are pale glimmers. Only a drumming heart breaks the hush liturgy, hanging to the last shots of myself before devoting my body to a metamorphosed soul. I hold my breath, chomping at the bit to connect with my wild thing: up there, the more I am a dirty liar, the more I am coming clean.”

Elena, Strategist, Venice

“From ballet to breakdancing, a hobby became my creative expression. Dance has taught me to be vulnerable in front of other people, a better friend to myself, and more generous and compassionate to others.”

Jessica, Studio Concierge and Cultural Ambassador, Melbourne

A woman wearing a black sleeveless top and black pants dances energetically outdoors at sunset, with large white structural beams and a ferris wheel in the background.

A woman with long blonde hair and sunglasses smiles while sitting on a boat by a calm canal, with bare trees and a stone wall in the background on a sunny day.

“As a creative, my empathy is my superpower and my kryptonite. But like all superhero origin stories, I’m at that montage part where I’m learning to squeeze into Lycra and harness my energy. Learning that nature recharges and that keeping a little energy for myself isn’t selfish. I’m learning how to kick burnout. Pow!”

Ellen, Senior Copywriter, Amsterdam

A woman with long, curly dark hair and a floral shirt stands outdoors, looking at the camera. Sunlight filters through trees behind her, creating a soft, bokeh effect.

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading. This quote by Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice, one of my favourites) reflects perfectly my philosophy; by reading countless books, I open up my mind, explore my emotions, widen my imagination and go places; there is no better way to learn the meaning of everything.”

Myriam, Senior Analyst, Amsterdam

A woman in a white outfit and wide-brimmed hat sits on sandy grass dunes, looking to the side and smiling, with a blue sky and wispy clouds in the background.

“As a child, I was a little too sensitive, a little too bold and a little too imaginative than the other kids. As I grew up, I grew into my personality and learned that the phrase a little too much was designed to belittle those born to be big.”

Christiana, Senior Strategist, Amsterdam

“Potting and planting makes me feel connected and calm, and for a moment clears my mind completely. Just like the ocean I grew up by but now live so far from. It’s strangely poetic to realise; by nourishing these plants to life, they nourish my life. A true symbiosis I didn’t know existed until I was in my late twenties.”

Anette, Senior Project Manager, Copenhagen

A woman with short brown hair is potting a plant with bright green and purple leaves on a sunny balcony, using a small gardening tool. Other potted plants and garden supplies are visible around her.

A woman wearing a NASA jacket smiles while seated at a table with a partially assembled remote-controlled vehicle or robot in front of her. The background is softly blurred.

A person in a helmet and protective gear collects a rock sample with a tool inside a dark cave, illuminated by a headlamp.

“The expanse of the universe is a grand place of order and chaos, form and formlessness, energy and entropy, paradoxes and truths. The greatest endeavor of humankind, the most perilous, everlasting expedition will be the induction of our place in this dark, unforgiving oceanic abyss. We are the midnight captains, guided by vast, cold, intergalactic prophecies left by the stars who made us. We will die and we will live in a way no one has ever imagined, with the infinite horizon in our eyes and a Martian frontier in our midst.”

Hillary, Principle Experience, San Francisco

A young woman with long brown hair smiles at the camera while sitting on a beach in the evening, with the ocean and people in the background under a clear sky.

“I’m a big lover of sunlight. I thrive as soon as she warms up my face. By shining on me, I shine. From sunrise to sunset. There is nothing better than that first sunlight on an early morning during Summer. As a photographer, I choose to only work with natural light. Everything becomes so beautiful when hit by a sunray.”

Rachel, Marketing Manager, Amsterdam

“I am not a creator, but I have lived my life creatively-adjacent and am passionate about art and music. I curate my life in a way that I surround myself with things - personally and professionally - that feed my soul. The extra time at home has allowed me to reconnect with collections and enjoy them with my son, his curiosities feeding a shared experience. It’s remarkable how listening to an old record can transform the energy of our home after a long, hyper-connected day, or how rearranging wall art or books and lingering a moment with a favourite, allows me to see the world and my purpose in it more clearly.”

Cara, Account Director, Atlanta

A woman with long blonde hair in a black outfit sits on a chair, smiling with her eyes closed, in a cozy room filled with books, vinyl records, framed photos, and a blue LEGO robot on a shelf.

Madeline - wiwh

Madeline - wiwh3

“Photography allows me to tell greater stories than my own. I’m currently in the middle of my second 365 photography project, and through my self-portraits and portraits of others, I get to create the worlds that float in my imagination.”

Madeline, Copywriter, Gothenburg

A woman in a sunhat sits in a green hammock tied to a tree by the water’s edge, with her feet gently touching the river. Lush green foliage hangs overhead, and sunlight reflects off the calm water.

“Spending time in nature is a healing energy. The Water reminds me to be flexible, the Fire inspires me to take action, the Air clears my mind and carries my imagination, and the Earth grounds me in my own strength.”

Iris, Group Strategy Director, New York

“Some days my mat is a magic carpet, others it’s a humbling whip or a path to surrendering. Yoga is an ever-changing gift that keeps on giving.”

Jules, Global Employee Experience

Jules - WIWH

A person with short, multicolored hair sits in sunlight, wearing a dark t-shirt and jeans, with a horse tattoo visible on their upper arm. They look thoughtful, gazing off to the side.

Minimalist illustration of two people riding bicycles and two people walking, one holding an umbrella. Figures are spaced apart on a light, textured background, casting distinct shadows.

“With distance and isolation, I have used my free time to learn more about my grandparents’ history. As I cannot visit the places that permeated these stories, I did a visit on Google Maps and tried to creatively translate what comes to my mind. It has been a comforting way to keep them close.”

Eduarda, Creative Director, São Paulo

“I have always loved makeup, but since the quarantine, it has helped me on a deeper level. Trying new products and getting ready is a distraction for my mind.”

Leo, Business Assistant Executive, São Paulo

A person with dark hair in a bun is applying red lipstick while sitting indoors near a large window with trees visible outside. Makeup items are scattered on the table beside them.

A person with short hair, wearing a loose black outfit and flip-flops, stands under a series of concrete arches with evening sunlight casting a warm glow. The ground is sandy and scattered with small debris.

“I love surfing. If possible, I would do it everyday. I find the ocean comforting, always changing and evolving. My plan is to bring my daughter along once this lockdown is over, to introduce her to surfing. It is my hope that she too finds the same joy and excitement in it.”

Akiko, Studio Manager, Tokyo

“Yoga saved me. It brought me back to myself after losing someone I loved deeply to a motorbike accident. After feeling like I stuck in the shadow of pain and grief, cultivating a regular practice is what brought me back into the light and back to myself. I love yoga because it creates a beautiful connection between the body, breath and heart and not only teaches you to be present on your mat, but it has taught me so much more about myself, love, acceptance and understanding. I am now also a yoga teacher so I can share the yoga magic.”

Twanine, Resource Manager, Amsterdam

A woman with long brown hair stands with her eyes closed, hands crossed over her chest. She wears a light floral shawl, a gray top, and beaded bracelets, appearing calm and peaceful in a softly lit room with a faded brick wall.

A woman taking a selfie.

A realistic black and gray tattoo of a wolf’s head on a person’s inner arm, partially shaded by a black sleeve, with sunlight creating shadows and a striped surface in the background.

“I’m a she-wolf: loyal to the core, strong when necessary, perfectly fine on my own, but thriving in a pack.”

Giulia, Associate Strategist, Milan

A person wearing a blue jacket and patterned leggings runs on a paved riverside path under a bridge, with city buildings and a steel bridge visible in the background.

“I signed up for cross country at the age of 13 and have been running since. It has always provided me with the opportunity for my body and mind to fall into rhythm and create a space of clarity and calm. It is where I first understood, and am often reminded, that there will always be someone ahead, there will always be someone behind. Just keep going.”

Katje, Human Resources, Portland

“I’ve been drawing as long as I can remember. I decided, as a young adult, to disconnect my daily work from my adoration for art, and then to explore my two passions: human behaviour and an artistic lifestyle. Art is an idea materialised in a format. Strategy is the search for the certainty of an idea in the best possible way. One serves a practical objective and the other, a deep need of my soul. And then, I feel like a more complete person.”

Isabela, Strategist Manager, São Paulo

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a loose pink shirt sits on the floor, holding a paintbrush and working on a colorful abstract painting placed in front of her, with her reflection visible in a mirror beside her.

A woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans, sits relaxed on a brown leather sofa, smiling at the camera. The date 18 6 30 is marked in yellow at the bottom right.

“I enjoy being physically creative, outdoorsy active and culturally stimulated.”

Kayla, Strategist, Shanghai

A person with dark hair and bangs, wearing an orange top, sits on a couch and looks up. On the wooden table beside them are a purple blanket, a speaker, a wooden doll, and decorative objects.

“Sometimes simple things are the most difficult to achieve. As the outside darkens, she looks inside. Dreaming, truth-seeking and centering herself. There is strength in slowing down, even if that means not doing anything at all.”

Bianca, Client Enablement Manager, Tokyo

“Nature helps me remember that everything is way simpler than my mind makes me believe sometimes. When I’m close to the earth, under the water and beneath the sun I feel such a deep feeling of relaxation and joy that even the most chaotic inner knots seem to loosen up.”

Erica, Strategist, São Paulo

A woman in a black swimsuit smiles and covers her nose while standing in a clear, rushing river with a waterfall and lush green trees in the background.

“There is an energy accessible to everyone; the energy, the freedom that comes from doing what makes you feel more alive, living in the moment. To me, it comes as a compulsion and it takes many forms: from the urge to see what lies beyond that far ridge, to the sense of freedom that surfing gives me, to the pleasure of disconnecting in a sunset yoga session, to the surprise I feel in front of a new idea. I created a journal to be able to remember what I felt in these moments, where I have been - emotionally and physically - and why it mattered.”

Veronica, Associate Strategist, Milan

A small teapot sits on a round tray next to a white pitcher on a placemat, with cups and decorative plants nearby, creating a serene tea setting in soft, natural light.

A young woman in a red shirt sits at a wooden table, holding a teacup and looking down. There is a small plate with a pink pastry in front of her, and greenery is visible through the window behind her.

“A simple cup of tea is far from a simple matter. I have switched from coffee to tea recently. It quiets my heart yet quickens my mind. The life aesthetics embodied through it and the subtle philosophy laid behind it are more elegant than the gestures or teawares. For different kinds of tea, there are thousands of ways to match. But when it is well applied, there is no restrainer or stereotype.”

Sherlyn, Experience Designer, Shanghai

Person with short, curly black hair and medium brown skin looking off to the side with a neutral expression, against a textured blue wall background.

“My pattern is to not follow a pattern. I like to listen to funk on the highest volume at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday or sometimes switch it for an album by The Weeknd. I can have a burger on Monday without feeling guilty, or make Wednesdays the new Fridays. After all, life was made to break the routine in the middle of the week.”

Hadassa, Project Manager Assistant, São Paulo

A person in a powered wheelchair looks out over a scenic mountain landscape with rolling hills, rocky terrain, and a cloudy sky.

A man carries a child in a backpack carrier while standing on a rocky ledge, overlooking a vast, green valley and distant mountains under a clear blue sky. Dense forest covers the landscape below.

“I have been overwhelmed by the kindness, persistence and warmth of loved ones and strangers who have helped me explore rugged terrains. My wheelchair has been strapped to tuk-tuks and dinghies, carried up the sides of mountains, down the depths of coves, dragged through festival mud and everything in-between. Allowing me to be free without restrictions, sharing laughter, joy and connection through triumph.”

Amy, Marketing Executive, London

A woman in a shiny, one-shoulder top and light pants stands indoors, smiling and holding up a peace sign. The background shows people, wooden tables, warm lighting, and a casual, lively atmosphere.

“See people as they are today, not what they were yesterday - the side of me that I love, I am non-judgmental to people and can passively listen or advise without preconceived notions of character from past behaviours.”

Onaiza, People Manager, United Arab Emirates

A person holding sunglasses is reflected in a round mirror, surrounded by colorful, patterned fabric. The image is taken from a low angle, creating an artistic and abstract composition.

“Dressing up is not only about putting something on, I like to think about it as a way of expression. Mixing, matching, following and breaking the rules. Dressing accordingly to the mood or dressing up to change it.”

Marina, Creative Director, São Paulo

“These last couple of months I’ve been traveling inside myself. It’s been helping me to connect with things and feelings that were hidden for a while and now I can see it all flourishing again. Like my love for gardening and taking care of my herbs. Being close to nature helps to keep me grounded. Social distancing is bringing me close to who I am.”

Gabriella, Creative Art Director, São Paulo

A person with wavy hair takes a photo of themselves using a camera, their reflection visible in a small round mirror on a wooden surface with scattered items around.

A woman with long brown hair sits at a table by a window, reading a book with her chin resting on her hand. A cup of coffee and a small glass of water are on the table beside her.

“I’m starting to tell stories which are uplifting and hopeful – particularly for younger queer people who might have started to become jaded or mistrusting about love in our complicated world. I’d like to become a storyteller which brings heart and warmth to the page and screen. I’ve also started making perfumes as a way of escaping the screen and using my other senses to tell stories in a way that’s creatively liberating.”

Siouxzi, Creative Copywriter, Berlin

A woman with pink hair, wearing a long tan coat, black pants, white sneakers, and carrying a brown bag, poses in front of an ornate building with traditional Asian architectural details and red doors.

“I believe fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life. I like shopping and taking pictures, and sometimes just recording my #ootd will make me feel happy. Fashion expresses one’s attitude towards the world.”

Miga, Associate Designer, Shanghai

A woman with tousled hair looks thoughtfully into the distance, partially lit by natural light and shadows. She holds a camera, and wears a camera strap over her shoulder.

A person with long hair and bangs is lit from the side, casting much of their face in shadow. They have a neutral expression and are wearing a textured tank top. The overall lighting is dim and moody.

“I am often surprised by little instances. And I enjoy them so much that I think it’s fair to share it with the world. They are usually created by people living daily lives in the city. And now with the isolation, when everyday seems to be the same, I found these unique instances through the light that keeps changing. Light on the walls, light on my body, light from the windows. I keep being surprised.”

Paula, Creative Director, São Paulo

“I enjoy playing with dogs with different personalities. When owners can’t take care of their pets over weekends or holidays, I come to the doggies’ rescue and become the dog sitter.”

Yvonne, Account Director, Shanghai

A woman in a blue shirt sits on a picnic blanket, smiling and leaning close to a happy golden retriever with its tongue out. They are outdoors on green grass.

A person in a black skirt and white top is standing and holding a large beige bag with brown handles in front of them. Only the torso and arms are visible; the background features a subtle plant design.

A woman walks along a wooden boardwalk near water, looking at her phone. Modern buildings and a dome-shaped structure are visible in the background under a cloudy sky.

“I love to travel alone. I love the feeling of getting lost in a foreign country because no one knows who I am and I can start fresh. Random encounters often turn into lifelong friendships. I can go on an adventure for weeks with just a carry-on luggage. I bring back stories to tell rather than souvenirs. My favorite one being a list of what my future holds, written by a fortune teller in Jaipur, India.”

Nicolette, Client Enablement Executive, Tokyo

A woman with a braid, wearing a black outfit with a large number 5 on the back, sits on a red Honda TMX motorcycle overlooking a lush green landscape with palm trees and distant mountains.

“Adventure has always been my calling, from camping in the Sahara desert to exploring shipwrecks in the Bali Sea - but there’s no feeling like the one you get when you sit on a motorcycle and really ride it. With a motorcycle you can go fast and yet things have a tendency to slow down around you and in your mind. There’s a famous quote that reflects exactly how I feel when riding: Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul.”

Daphnee, Senior Account Director, Shanghai

“I work as a project manager so I am always planning. This need to be in control of everything is stressful at times. Taking care of my plants has become therapeutic in my daily life. Observing nature closely, monitoring plant growth and understanding that each species has its specific development time, recharges my energies.”

Luciana, Project Manager, São Paulo

A person in a white shirt with colorful patterns smiles up at the camera while tending to a leafy green plant indoors, standing barefoot on a chair near a hanging lightbulb.

A person wearing a cap carries paddles, a helmet, and a life jacket while walking away from an open car trunk, with green fields and mountains in the background.

A red tent is set up on rocky ground beside a calm river, surrounded by steep, green cliffs under a partly cloudy sky.

“Stepping into nature is something I’ve always wanted to do. So I learned canoe and camp this spring, I stayed amongst the mountains and rivers.”

Ines, Senior Copywriter, Shanghai

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