start every day smarter, in under 5 minutes
#5SmartReads is the Webby honored daily news curation amplifies underreported journalism and features the stories of underestimated people.
It was launched as an Instagram Story series in 2018 by multi-hyphenate
, who was frustrated by the rising trend of news spiking readers’ stress and anxious feelings. Over the past 5 years, #5SmartReads has reached tens of thousands of readers, been recognized as a Webby Honoree twice (first as a leading social stories series, and most recently as an independent publisher), and gave way to Hitha’s second book WE’RE SPEAKING: The Life Lessons of Kamala Harris.State of 5SR
·
5 1/2 years ago, I posted a few Instagram Stories. Rather than peeks at my life (I was pregnant with my second son, shifting away from my longtime blog, and adjusting to the CEO role at Rhoshan Pharma), I posted a screenshot of a news story, with some commentary added in an obnoxiously bold font and a call-to-action to swipe up and read the full story.
Hitha writes
and her lifestyle newsletter in addition to running Rhoshan Pharmaceuticals, speaking at conferences and events, serving on nonprofit boards, and sharing her life on Instagram. She continues to read voraciously, cheer on her favorite sports teams (all Philadelphia teams, the New York Liberty and Gotham FC, and Williams Racing), and spend time with her family.