Always Looking Up

In this week’s episode I sat down with Sophia Herzog Gibb. Sophia is a two-time medal-winning Paralympian, having competed as a swimmer in the 2016 and 2020 Paralympic Games in Rio and Tokyo. She is now joining NBC as a contributor covering the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. We discuss the excitement and media coverage surrounding this year's Paralympics, important language you need to know, how she prepared to take on this role, what it means to her to be the first little person commentator at NBC, and much, much more.

Follow Sophia: Instagram: @sophiaherzog Twitter: @SophiaHerzog

Follow Team USA: Instagram: @teamusa TikTok: @teamusa Twitter/X: @TeamUSA YouTube: Team USA  Website: https://www.teamusa.com

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

In this week’s episode I sat down with Tiffany Yu. Tiffany is the CEO & Founder of Diversability, an award-winning social enterprise to elevate disability pride, the Founder of the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter, and the author of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World. We discuss the creation and evolution of Diversability, the work that happens in community and solidarity, being an amplifier of other disabled voices and much, much more.

Follow Tiffany: Instagram: @imtiffanyyu Twitter: @ImTiffanyYu LinkedIn: Tiffany A. Yu, MSc TikTok: @imtiffanyyu Website: https://www.tiffanyyu.com

Buy The Anti-Ableist Manifesto:

Yu & Me Books

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Bookshop 

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

In this week’s episode I sat down with Tilly Griffiths. Tilly is a two-time Stanford graduate from the United Kingdom, recently completing her Master's degree in Communication with an emphasis on data journalism during which she focused on telling impactful, data-driven stories about the disabled experience. As a full-time power wheelchair user living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, she also dedicated much of her time outside of the classroom to building community on campus for her fellow disabled students. We discuss the cultural shift about disability on college campuses, the balance between being in and being defined by our community, making the decision to never settle or stay put and much, much more.

Follow Tilly: Instagram: @itsmetillyg

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

In this week’s episode I sat down with Shaunta-Maé Alexander. Shaunta-Maé is an incredibly gifted Public Speaker, Adaptive Athlete, Brand Ambassador, Influencer, Actress, Author, Philanthropist, Distance Runner, and 2024 “People’s Choice” Webby Award Winner. Her personal story of hard work, determination, tenacity, and faith through her disabilities has been used to help motivate and encourage the masses publicly. After sharing her incredible story and fitness journey we discuss training with the healed version of ourselves, the beauty of uncertainty, our shared love for Peloton and Cynthia Erivo and much, much more.

Follow Shaunta-Maé: Instagram: @shauntamae_ Peloton Leaderboard: MaeBackBaby

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Peloton Leaderboard: jillian_ilana TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

In this week’s episode I sat down with Kayla Hamilton. Kayla is a Texas-born, Bronx based performance maker, dancer, educator, and consultant. She is a Bessie Award-winning dancer and her performance, choreographic and disability arts work has been presented by institutions across New York City and the U.S. In July of 2024 she announced the creation of Circle O, a new cultural organization established by and for Black Disabled and other multiply marginalized creatives. We discuss her journey to becoming a dancer, creating space in places where disability is often not welcome, the stories that can be told and the voices that can be heard through the art of movement and much, much more.

Buy Tickets: Open Call: Kayla Hamilton at The Shed HERE

Follow Kayla: Website: https://www.khamiltonprojects.com/k-a-y-l-a-h-a-m-i-l-t-o-n

Follow Circle O: Instagram: @circleo_org Website: https://www.circleo.org

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

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 about what it means to be a little person and dwarfism history. We discuss how the historical beliefs, behaviors, perceptions and prejudices towards people with dwarfism have persisted and evolved through to present day in a world where conversations are now being driven by algorithms and the mainstream media and how it impacts the dwarfism community.

Follow Aubrey: Instagram: @theaubreysmalls , @dwarfismhistory TikTok: @aubreysmalls Website: https://www.dearaverageheightpeople.com

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

In this week’s episode I sat down with Daisy Friedman. Daisy is a writer and director based out of New York City. Her history as a multi-organ transplant recipient has drawn her to create work that centers on the intersections of tradition, intimacy, embodiment, and disability. We discuss the spaces in between disabled and not, the power in telling disabled stories that are raw, visceral, and personal, the making and importance of her acclaimed short film As You Are, spoilers ahead, and much, much more.

Watch As You Are: https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2024/05/07/as-you-are/

Follow Daisy: Instagram: @daisyfriedman_ Website: https://www.daisyfriedman.com

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com/ Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

In this week’s episode it is just me and the microphone as I sit in my thoughts and feels and reflect on the Little People of America national conference that just took place in Baltimore. I explain what the national conference is, reflect on what the week meant to me and yes, there was certainly some laughter and perhaps tears.

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com/ Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

In this week’s episode I sat down with Rebecca Williford. Rebecca is a seasoned, nationally recognized disability community leader and an ardent disability rights litigator, currently serving as the President & CEO of Disability Rights Advocates (or DRA), the leading national nonprofit disability rights legal center whose mission is to advance the rights, inclusion, and equity of people with disabilities through high-impact litigation, education, and advocacy. We discuss the role legal action plays in the disability rights movement, how DRA is changing the fabric of society and what it means to be a disabled person, and much, much more.

Follow Rebecca: Instagram: @rebecca.williford.dra LinkedIn: Rebecca Williford

Follow Disability Rights Advocates: Instagram: @dralegal LinkedIn: Disability Rights Advocates Website: https://dralegal.org

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com/ Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

In this week’s episode I sat down with Pamela Rae Schuller. Pamela is an internationally known disability and mental health advocate, and professional stand-up comedian. We discuss how she combines comedy and storytelling with a message about inclusion and mental health, how certain humor has to be earned, being powerfully snarky, underestimating our younger selves and much, much more.

Follow Pamela: Instagram: @pamelacomedy YouTube: Pamela Comedy Website: https://pamelacomedy.com/

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com/ Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin