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Changemaker Q&A

Changemaker Q&A

Written by: Humanitarian Changemakers Network
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Changemaker Q&A is a podcast for grassroots changemakers—activists, students, volunteers, entrepreneurs, social workers, advocates, and anyone striving for impact. Host Dr Tiyana J answers real community questions and interviews inspiring guests who share stories, lessons, and practical strategies for driving change. Produced by the Humanitarian Changemakers Network and brought to you by the School of Social Impact, the show offers insights and encouragement for every step of your changemaking journey.Humanitarian Changemakers Network Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 69. Safety, Confidence, and Boundaries: Lessons from a Woman in Security
    Jan 11 2026

    Dion Chan, widely known as That Security Lady, shares her journey from a shy childhood to becoming an experienced professional in a male-dominated security industry. From close personal protection and crowd control to high-profile events, Dion explores the skills, mindset, and frameworks that allow women to feel safe and confident in any environment. This episode delves into practical strategies for situational awareness, boundary setting, de-escalation, and risk assessment, while also unpacking the broader conversation about women in security and how empathy and self-awareness become powerful tools in both professional and personal life.

    About Our Guest: Dione (aka @that_security_lady) is a Close-Protection Officer turned speaker and Director at ICP Group Australia, where she brings real-world safety, situational awareness, and leadership training into everyday life for women, youth, and frontline professionals. After a viral interaction with Drake during his Australian tour thrust her into the spotlight, she used the moment to spark important conversations about confidence, presence, and the challenges women face in protective and leadership roles. Today, through her simple and practical S.A.F.E. Framework, Dione equips others to become their own first responder—to trust their instincts, navigate uncertainty, and step into any environment with strength and self-awareness.

    📰 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 leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.

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    Follow HCN on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humanitarianchangemakers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Follow Tiyana on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tiyanaj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

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    31 mins
  • 68. Tiyana’s 2026 Predictions: What the Year Ahead will Hold for Social Changemakers
    Jan 6 2026

    Stepping into 2026 invites both uncertainty and opportunity, and this episode maps out the major social impact trends likely to shape the year ahead. Tiyana explores how digital influencers are increasingly functioning as de-facto political interpreters, why shifts in narrative strategy may strengthen the political right, and how anti-intellectual sentiment continues to gain visibility in public discourse. She examines emerging pressures within the not-for-profit sector—from widening divides in fundraising capacity to changes in volunteering—and considers what these shifts mean for practitioners working across activism, policy, and community development. Despite the challenges, the episode ends on a hopeful note, reflecting on the growing momentum of grassroots movements and the expanding appeal of the “great turning,” a narrative that frames this moment as one of profound collective possibility.

    📰 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 leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.

    Social Impact Foundations ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Training Bundle ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Follow HCN on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humanitarianchangemakers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Follow Tiyana on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tiyanaj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

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    31 mins
  • 67. From One Act of Kindness to a Movement: Rethinking Homelessness and Violence Prevention
    Jan 4 2026

    What begins as a simple gesture of helping one person can spark a movement that reshapes communities. Sean shares his unexpected journey from preparing for a career in law enforcement to founding a grassroots homeless shelter that grew into multiple agencies. Along the way, he reflects on misconceptions about homelessness, systemic barriers that keep people on the streets, and the urgent need for preventative approaches—whether addressing long-term housing, addiction, or even mass shootings. His story is a powerful reminder of how compassion, persistence, and unconventional thinking can open pathways to change.

    About Our Guest: Sean began feeding people experiencing homelessness shortly after high school, and in 1997 his encounter with John McCormick, a homeless man in need of urgent care, marked the start of a lifelong commitment to advocacy. What began with offering housing to one person quickly grew, as hospitals started referring patients without stable housing to him, and almost overnight he found himself running the largest shelter in the county. Despite facing legal challenges from the city, Sean successfully defended the shelter’s right to operate, ensuring its continued role as a vital service provider. In addition to his work in homelessness, he founded the Mass Shooting Prevention Center Crisis Hotline, a confidential service designed to help individuals considering acts of violence access support before tragedy occurs. His work reflects a dedication to compassion, prevention, and practical action in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges.

    📰 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 leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.

    Social Impact Foundations ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Training Bundle ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Follow HCN on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humanitarianchangemakers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Follow Tiyana on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tiyanaj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.

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    37 mins
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