Kenyan media personality and digital creator Azziad Nasenya has delivered one of her most candid public reflections yet, urging young people to discover their purpose before pursuing visibility or success.
Speaking at the TEDx Still I Rise School event on July 28, 2026, Azziad peeled back the curtain on what it means to grow up in the public eye, sharing how criticism, failure and constant public scrutiny have shaped both her career and her personal life.
According to the content creator, purpose is the foundation that allows people to survive criticism, setbacks and the pressures that often come with success.
“If your why is not strong enough to survive people’s opinions, it will not survive your career,” she told the audience.
Azziad reflected on becoming a public figure at just 19 years old, long before content creation was widely recognized as a legitimate profession.
She described the unusual experience of discovering herself while millions of people watched, judged and commented on every stage of her journey.
“What I’m doing right now was not considered a career,” she said before asking the audience to imagine having every mistake, every success and every personal struggle unfold in front of the world.
“Can you imagine being 19 and getting to know your why before the world, and getting the world to judge you? You get to make mistakes, you get to fall, you get to rise in front of everyone’s eyes.”
The remarks offered a rare glimpse into the emotional reality behind influencer culture, a space often associated with glamorous lifestyles but rarely with the psychological weight of constant public visibility.
Azziad challenged the audience to think beyond curated social media feeds, reminding them that public figures are often navigating deeply personal experiences while simultaneously facing widespread commentary from strangers.
She pointed out that people frequently assume they know someone’s story simply because they consume snippets of their life online.
“Just because I dance, it does not mean I do not have a why,” she said, emphasizing that audiences often see only a fraction of a creator’s journey.
Throughout her speech, Azziad spoke openly about the emotional toll that comes with building a career in the digital age.
She acknowledged that being a content creator means successes and failures can quickly become public conversations, with some moments amplified far beyond reality.
“Sometimes you will look at things and you’re like, ‘Wait, what? Is that me?’ And most of the time, it is not about you.”
She argued that criticism often reflects the perspectives and experiences of those making the comments rather than the person receiving them.
According to Azziad, understanding that distinction is essential for anyone pursuing a career that places them in the public eye.
She also warned students against allowing outside opinions to define their identity.
“Opinions are the lowest form of education, and every single person has one, owns one,” she said, encouraging the audience to focus on purpose rather than public approval.
Azziad also used her platform to redefine failure, rejecting the idea that success follows a straight line.
“If you have not fallen, then there is nothing to rise from,” she said.
