Shows / Always Looking Up
Always Looking Up
A podcast dedicated to telling honest and real stories about living in a world that was not necessarily designed for us.
Episodes
- Always Looking Up
Ariella Elm On The Midterms: What Happened And What's Next
In this special episode of Always Looking Up I welcomed back Ariella Elm. Ariella (they/she) is a queer, Jewish, disabled political content creator and voice…
- Always Looking Up
Mariadeliz Santiago On Our College Years
In this week’s episode I welcomed back Mariadeliz Santiago. Maria is a NYC-based disabled content creator, speaker, and advocate who uses her platform to…
- Always Looking Up
Karina Camile Parker On Opera, The Art And The Access
In this week’s episode I sat down with Karina Camile Parker. Karina is a Brooklyn-based director, performer, and teaching artist. Karina is the co-founder of…
- Always Looking Up
Hope Walz On Community Aimed Advocacy And Allies As Amplifiers
In this week’s episode I am honored and proud to have sat down with Hope Walz. Hope is a 25-year-old Montana-based lifestyle creator who shares her day-to-day…
- Always Looking Up
Aditi Mahajan On Art, Medicine, And The Act Of Getting Dressed
In this week’s episode I sat down with Aditi Mahajan. Aditi is a physician and lifelong lover of fashion and the arts who is completing her training in New…
- Always Looking Up
Bryanna Copeland On Disability, Accessibility, And Motherhood
In this week’s episode I sat down with Bryanna Copeland. Bryanna is a disability advocate, social worker, and single mom who shares her experiences navigating…
- Always Looking Up
Chef Lay Alston On Dinner Conversations Around An Accessible Table
In this week’s episode I sat down with Chef Lay Alston. Lay is a chef, culinary producer and advocate for accessibility in the hospitality industry and beyond…
- Always Looking Up
Sarah Hartshorne And Pamela Schuller On The Tall And Short Of Reality TV
In this week’s episode (The 250th!) I sat down with Sarah Hartshorne and Pamela Rae Schuller. Sarah is a writer and comedian best known for none of those…
- Always Looking Up
Cassidy Huff On Simply Existing As A Little Person In An Average-Height World
In this week’s episode I sat down with Cassidy Huff. Cassidy is a content creator, best-selling author, director, actress, and disability advocate passionate…
- Always Looking Up
Steffi Gonzalez On The Beauty Of Accessibility And The Accessibility Of Beauty
In this week’s episode I sat down with Steffi Gonzalez. Steffi is a beauty, travel, lifestyle creator and model redefining disability representation. The first…
- Always Looking Up
Sugandha Gupta On Accessible Design And Embodied Justice
In this week’s episode I sat down with Sugandha Gupta. Sugandha is the Assistant Professor of Fashion Design and Materiality at Parsons School of Design. She…
- Always Looking Up
Chase Merriweather On Racing Towards A Paralympic Dream
In this week’s episode I sat down with Chase Merriweather. Chase is a 16-year-old track athlete and Paralympic hopeful who competes in the 100m and 400m. A…
- Always Looking Up
Justin Dougan-LeBlanc On Understanding Communication And Movement Through The Art Of Fashion
In this week’s episode I sat down with Justin Dougan-LeBlanc. Justin is an artist working across sculpture, installation, and wearable forms. Using sculptural…
- Always Looking Up
Lylli Stapper On Being Yourself In A World Not Designed For Us
In this week’s episode I sat down with Lylli Stapper. Lylli is a creator based out of Los Angeles who creates a wide variety of content from comedy to…
- Always Looking Up
Marsha Elle On Turning A Moment Into A Movement
In this week’s episode I sat down with Marsha Elle. Marsha is a bionic model, actress, recording artist, and disability advocate redefining beauty and…
- Always Looking Up
Meredith Lynch On Understanding Humanity Through The Lens Of Pop Culture And Politics
In this week’s episode I sat down with Meredith Lynch. Meredith is an LA-based writer, comedian, and TikTok sensation. In just under four years, she has…
- Always Looking Up
Lillian Carrier On "Horsegirls" And The Power Of Film In Telling Disabled Stories
In this week’s episode I sat down with Lillian Carrier. Lillian is an autistic actress and advocate from Los Angeles, best known for her breakout role in…
- Always Looking Up
Carrie Gillispie On The Changes To Disability Education Policy And Its Impact On Students With Disabilities
In this week’s episode I sat down with Carrie Gillispie. Carrie is the Early Development & Disability Project Director in New America’s Education Policy…
- Always Looking Up
Jameisha Prescod FRSA On Disability, Art, The Artists And The Storytellers
In this week’s episode I sat down with Jameisha Prescod FRSA. Jameisha is a multidisciplinary artist and writer from South London. With work grounded in a…
- Always Looking Up
Emily Gerhardstein On Creating At The Intersection Between Fashion and Technology
In this week’s episode I sat down with Emily Gerhardstein. Emily is the CEO and Co-Founder of LS Adaptive™, a mission-driven minority and female owned company…
- Always Looking Up
Belle Bakst On The Fashion Media, Disability, Who Is Being Seen And Who Should Be
In this week’s episode I sat down with Belle Bakst. Belle, is a stylist, fashion editor, content creator and disability advocate. Also known as “Little Fashion…
- Always Looking Up
Sonia Vera On Weaving The Threads Between Fashion And Disability
In this week’s episode I sat down with Sonia Vera. Sonia is a Venezuelan-born model who is seeking to transform how the disability community is represented and…
Always Looking UpKate Robinson On Finding Yourself Through Finding Community
In this week’s episode I sat down with Kate Robinson. Kate built a career spanning retail management and the nonprofit sector, most recently working at Nike…
- Always Looking Up
Julie Forrest Wyman On "The Tallest Dwarf" And How Culture Shapes Reality
In this week’s episode I sat down with Julie Forrest Wyman. Julie is a filmmaker, writer, and Associate Professor of Cinema and Digital Media at UC Davis. Her…
- Always Looking Up
Maegan Blau On Designing An Accessible Home
In this week’s episode I sat down with Maegan Blau. Maegan is the founder and principal designer of Blue Copper Design, an Arizona based studio recognized for…
- Always Looking Up
Melanie Waldman On Disability As A Costume As Seen On TV
In this week’s episode of Always Looking Up I welcomed back Melanie Waldman. An advocate for disability rights and overall inclusion, Melanie's history &…
- Always Looking Up
Isaac Zablocki On The ReelAbilities Film Festival And The Power Of Cinema
In this week’s episode I sat down with Isaac Zablocki. Isaac is the Co-Founder and CEO of the ReelAbilities Film Festival, a disability film festival that has…
- Always Looking Up
Zach Miller On Changing The Narrative In Pursuit Of Athletic Excellence
In this week’s episode of Always Looking Up I sat down with Zach Miller. Zach is a 2x World Champion, 2x Paralympian and 2023 ESPY winner for Best Athlete with…
- Always Looking Up
Anna Johannes On The Paralympics As An Athlete And As An Audience Member
In this week’s episode I sat down with Anna Johannes. Anna is a 2012 Paralympic bronze medalist and a seasoned strategist dedicated to redefining the…
- Always Looking Up
Jillian Mercado And Syanne Bloom On Fashion As An Industry And Art Form
In this week’s episode I welcomed back Syanne Bloom and Jillian Mercado. Syanne is an Afro-Indigenous disabled activist and political commentator who examines…
- Always Looking Up
Plant Kween On The Practices Of Self-Care
In this week’s episode I sat down with Christopher Griffin better known as Plant Kween. Christopher is a Brooklyn based black, queer, non-binary lifestyle…
- Always Looking Up
Andrea Dalzell On Redefining Inclusive Healthcare
In this week’s episode I sat down with Andrea Dalzell. Andrea, known as “The Seated Nurse”—is a New York City nurse leader, disability advocate, and wheelchair…
- Always Looking Up
Syanne Bloom And Jillian Mercado On Bad Bunny, The Fashion Industry And What True Inclusion Can And Should Be
In this week’s episode I sat down with Syanne Bloom and Jillian Mercado. Syanne is an Afro-Indigenous disabled activist and political commentator who examines…
- Always Looking Up
Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan On Disability Advocacy Across The World
In this week’s episode I sat down with Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan. Cara is a visionary international disability rights advocate whose career has spanned…
- Always Looking Up
Cara Reedy And Rebecca Cokley On Disability Through A Policy And Media Lens
In this week’s episode I sat down with Cara Reedy and Rebecca Cokley. Cara is a journalist, filmmaker and a sometimes actor/comedian. She is the founder and…
- Always Looking Up
Lachi On I Identify As Blind
In this week’s episode I sat down with Lachi. Lachi is a world touring recording artist, award winning music executive, Disability Culture champion, host of…
- Always Looking Up
Britt Stewart And Daniel Durant On The Power And Beauty Of Language And Dance
In this week’s episode I sat down with Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart. Daniel is a Deaf actor on stage and screen. He is best known for his starring role as…
- Always Looking Up
Austin Halls On Finding The Beauty And Power Of Disability Through Music
In this week’s episode I sat down with Austin Halls. Austin is a singer, storyteller, and motivational figure born with Moebius Syndrome, using music, fashion…
- Always Looking Up
Ezra Frech On How Perceptions Can Change Through The Power Of Sport, His Career-Defining Photo Finish And The "Invisible Class" Campaign
In this week’s episode I sat down with Ezra Frech. Ezra is a 20 year-old 2x Paralympian from Los Angeles who competes in the T63 100M, Long Jump, and High…
- Always Looking Up
Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird On Writing The Stories Our Younger Selves Could Only Dream Of Reading
In this week’s episode I sat down with Niamh Ni Hoireabhaird. Niamh is a disability journalist from Ireland. Having been featured in publications like the…
- Always Looking Up
Tori Calamito On Oz, Wicked: For Good, And What Defines A Munchkin
In this week’s episode I sat down with Tori Calamito. Tori, Oz historian and content creator, is a life-long Oz fan who has been collecting Oz memorabilia for…
- Always Looking Up
Jillian Curwin On Redefining Feeling Seen And Being Seen
In this week's episode it is just me and the microphone. With the chapter that was the year 2025 coming to an end, and 2026 just around the corner, I wanted to…
- Always Looking Up
Hillary Wool On Being An Unrare Flower In A World Not Designed To See Our Beauty
In this week’s episode I sat down with Hillary Wool. Hillary is a disabled business strategist, model, and advocate reshaping how we think about ambition…
- Always Looking Up
Lindi Marcusen On Finding Her Own Path To The Paralympics And Defending The Right To Travel While Disabled
In this week’s episode of Always Looking Up I sat down with Lindi Marcusen. Lindi is a Paralympic sprinter and long jumper whose journey began after surviving…
- Always Looking Up
Selene Luna On The Mask Put Upon Little People And The Power That Comes From Taking It Off
In this week’s episode I sat down with Selene Luna. Selene is an actress and producer hailed by The New York Times as “a polished spitfire.” A magnetic live…
- Always Looking Up
Caity On Creating Art And Fashion For Everyone And Every Body
In this week’s episode I sat down with Caity. Caity is the founder of her own fashion brand where she repurposes thrifted garments and enhances them with her…
- Always Looking Up
Jake Stimell On Making The 2025 TCS New York City Marathon Accessible And Inclusive For All Athletes
In this week’s episode I sat down with Jake Stimell. Jake is a disability inclusion and accessibility specialist at New York Road Runners, who is on a mission…
- Always Looking Up
John Feal On Speaking Truth To Power And Making Sure No Responders Are Left Behind
In this week’s episode I sat down with John Feal. John is best known for his work with the FealGood Foundation (“FGF”), a 9/11 First Responder advocacy group…
- Always Looking Up
Aubrey Smalls On Defining What It Means To Simply Be And Celebrate Being A Little Person
In this week’s episode I welcomed back Aubrey Smalls. Aubrey is an actor, filmmaker, and content creator with dwarfism who uses his platforms to educate people…
- Always Looking Up
Dr. Akilah Cadet On Standing At The Intersection Of Sports And High Fashion
In this week’s episode I welcomed back Dr. Akilah Cadet. Dr. Cadet is the Founder, CEO of Change Cadet consulting firm, a Forbes listed entrepreneur, co-owner…
- Always Looking Up
Jillian Curwin On Being A Tailor-Made Fashion Girly That Is Tired Of Having To Stand On The Sidelines
This week’s episode is a special episode in celebration of New York Fashion Week which just came to an end. As the tailor-made fashion girl, I wanted to share…
- Always Looking Up
Ariella Elm On Transforming Frustration Through Action
In this week’s episode I sat down with Ariella Elm. Ariella is a queer, Jewish, disabled political influencer offering daily visibility into the stories of…
- Always Looking Up
Richard Whitehead MBE On Paving The Way For Inclusion In Sport...One Marathon At A Time
In this week’s episode I sat down with Richard Whitehead MBE. Richard is a Paralympic Gold Medallist, world record holder, professional athlete, marathon…
- Always Looking Up
Ashton McGrady On The Limits, Accessibility, And Possibilities Of The Fashion And Beauty Industries
In this week’s episode I sat down with Ashton McGrady. Ashton is a Charlotte-based creator sharing beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content through the lens of…
- Always Looking Up
Violet Ferguson On Materialists And The Perceptions Of Height And Stature
In this week’s episode I sat down with Violet Ferguson. Violet is an emerging producer, content creator, and disability advocate based near Toronto, Ontario…
- Always Looking Up
Jillian Ilana Curwin On Looking Ahead, Looking Back, And Always Looking Up
This episode celebrates 200 episodes of Always Looking Up, an incredible milestone that I am so incredibly proud of and grateful for. I wanted to take the time…
- Always Looking Up
Sheila Xu On Her Mission To Becoming The First Deaf Astronaut
In this week’s episode I sat down with Sheila Xu and her interpreter Justin Baldi. Sheila is an oral and signing Deaf woman who broke barriers as one of the…
- Always Looking Up
Ellie Simmonds On Changing The Narrative In And Out Of The Pool
In the 200th episode of Always Looking Up I sat down with Ellie Simmonds. Ellie is a five-time Paralympic Champion and a fourteen time World Champion in the…
- Always Looking Up
Jen Montzingo On Simply Being Herself In An Average-Height World
Trigger Warning: In this episode we do discuss sensitive topics related to mental health such as addiction and self harm. If these are triggers for you please…
- Always Looking Up
Aariana Rose Philip On Setting A New Precedent In The Fashion Industry
In this week’s episode I sat down with Aariana Rose Philip. Aariana is a groundbreaking trans model from The Bronx, by way of Antigua and Barbuda, known for…