This 48 minute 04 second episode explores Tarryn Tomlinson’s life story, beginning with her belief that people who achieve their dreams think, act, and speak from the reality they want to create. The narrative introduces her early fascination with possibility, intuition, and a sense that life held more than the ordinary. Raised by a single mother in Woodstock, Cape Town, she learned resilience through scarcity, creativity, and exposure to magic and imagination.

The story turns when, during her final year of high school, Tarryn experiences sudden, debilitating knee pain that evolves into a diagnosis of aggressive rheumatoid arthritis. The illness rapidly affects nearly all her joints, leaving her bedridden, in extreme pain, and reliant on a wheelchair. She reflects on the physical suffering, loss of independence, and emotional weight of being young and disabled, while her mother and friends recall the confusion, fear, and search for answers. Conventional treatment offers little relief, prompting Tarryn to explore alternative healing methods, spirituality, and the mind-body connection.

Through reading, introspection, and metaphysical practice, she begins reframing her identity, focusing on perspective, presence, and self-responsibility. Determined to test the principles she was studying, she sets a seemingly impossible goal: to live in Italy for more than a year in luxury, despite having no money, no job, and profound physical limitations. Through daily affirmations, visualisation, language study, and unwavering belief, she prepares as if the dream has already materialised.

This 23 minute 16 second episode positions Activated as a platform for reimagining how society views disability, shifting from assumptions of inability to recognising capability, leadership, and contribution. Host Tarryn Tomlinson opens the episode by highlighting the role millennials and Generation Z play in challenging ableism, redefining expectations, and shaping a future South Africa rooted in inclusion. Their creativity, activism, and commitment to community form the foundation for a more equitable society.

The episode begins at Philadelphia Secondary School in Pretoria, which serves visually impaired, deaf, and physically disabled learners. The principal and learners share insight into the school’s evolution, the importance of accessibility, and the value of equipping students with confidence and real-world preparation. Students speak candidly about self-acceptance, public perception, and the need for education that normalises disability rather than marginalises it. Teachers and staff emphasise preparing learners for life beyond the school environment, ensuring they face the wider world with resilience and a sense of agency.

Midway through the episode, Tarryn interviews student activist Luigi Nicholas, a visually impaired postgraduate student at Stellenbosch University. Luigi discusses her path into disability activism, her work in student leadership, and her advocacy on the SRC to ensure university decisions consider students with disabilities. She notes generational differences in self-advocacy, observing that Gen Z is more outspoken but still learning to pair critique with solution-building. Luigi stresses that universities must listen, learn, and understand that disability exists on a spectrum, requiring individualised support. Her message to young activists is clear: embrace opportunities, take ownership of your story, and show others you are far more than your disability.