E18: Story of Self, Us, and Now with Yomna Ahmed

"If I am not for myself, who will be? And if I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, when?" — Rabbi Hillel the Elder. Yomna Ahmed, a Harvard-trained community organizer, empowers activists through Public Narrative and Community Organizing. She co-founded Athar Network, uniting activists across seven Arab countries. In this episode, Yomna explores the Story of Self, Us, and Now framework—how storytelling builds trust, mobilizes communities, and challenges power structures. We discuss ethical narratives, moving beyond hero stories, and how storytelling fosters collective leadership. This episode is for activists, educators, and organizers seeking to inspire change. Listen, learn, and harness the power of public narrative. Read more about Story of Self, Us, and Now and stay updated on how you can harness the power of public narrative. Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.