90. Turning 30: Sharing My Changemaking Journey & Key Lessons From My 20s

About this episode

Tiyana reflects on her journey through her twenties as a changemaker and shares key lessons for her thirties.

Turning 30 can be “just a number”, but it can also be a moment to pause and take stock — and that’s what this episode does. Tiyana shares the winding, unplanned story of her twenties as a changemaker: a semester abroad that sparked activism and opened doors to the UN, the volunteering and self-education that shaped her more than formal study, the early beginnings of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network, and the leap into a PhD she didn’t think she’d get into. Along the way, she unpacks the key lessons she’s taking into her thirties — from living with intention and committing to lifelong learning, to being selective with relationships, building a culture of care, balancing self-development with impact, taking audacious risks, seeking understanding over persuasion, expanding your idea of “impact” beyond a job title, and following curiosity as a compass. 📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to…

People in this episode

Host: Tiyana

Topics covered

• changemaking
• activism
• self-development
• lifelong learning
• relationships
• impact

Keywords

• changemaker
• activism
• self-education
• Humanitarian Changemakers Network
• PhD
• impact
• relationships

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Humanitarian Changemakers Network

Places: UN

More episodes of Changemaker Q&A

• 103. Unbounded Leadership: Shifting Consciousness to Change the World with Martin Palethorpe · June 9, 2026 · 36 min
• 102. Is the Internet Speeding Up Cultural Change? · June 2, 2026 · 32 min
• 101. Plant Wisdom for Changemakers: Ecosystems, Conflict, and Finding Your Role with Tigrilla Gardenia · May 26, 2026 · 41 min
• 100. A Hundred Episodes Later: What I’ve Learned About Social Change · May 19, 2026 · 39 min
• 99. Charity Matters: Storytelling, Service, and Start Something That Matters with Heidi Johnson · May 12, 2026 · 33 min
• 98. Why Trust Is the Real Currency of Social Change · May 5, 2026 · 35 min