In this week’s episode, in honor of October being Dwarfism Awareness Month and tomorrow being International Dwarfism Awareness Day I welcomed back Shelby Holloway. Shelby is a content creator on TikTok and one of my best friends, practically a big sister, in the little person community. We discuss how the disabled and non-disabled communities see the little person community, the difference between advocating for awareness vs. advocating for acceptance, and how being a little person in an average-height world can often feel very isolating and the importance of the little person community.

Follow Shelby: Instagram: @shelbyhollowayy TikTok: shelby_holloway)

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 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 Dr. Ben Barry. Ben is the Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design, a disability fashion activist, and researcher. He is currently leading the project Crippling Masculinity that explores how D/deaf, disabled, and nondivergent men and masculine people experience the world and make new worlds through fashion. We discuss the different approaches towards making fashion accessible for the disabled community, the importance of interdependence in fashion, and what the future of fashion is learning today.

Read the transcription HERE

Follow Ben: @bendrakbarry

Follow Parsons: @parsonsschoolofdesign, @sof_parsons Website: https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana, @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.jillianilana.com

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

In this week’s episode I sat down with Maria Rabaino. Maria is a wheelchair user, certified fitness trainer and founding member of the Rollettes, a wheelchair dance team that empowers women with disabilities to live boundlessly and shift perspectives globally. We discuss why disability belongs in fitness, the impact social media has to make a space more accessible, and the positive force for change that is created when disability communities come together.

Follow Maria: Instagram: @mariarabaino TikTok: @mariarabaino

Follow the Rollettes: Instagram: @rollettes_la TikTok: @rollettes_la YouTube: Rollettes Dance Team

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 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 Bri Scalesse. Bri is a wheelchair user, model, influencer, and advocate. This episode was recorded right after New York Fashion Week ended where Bri wheeled the runways in three shows and absolutely slayed like the true queen she is. We discuss the disability hierarchy and what it means to have the wheelchair user be the icon for the disabled community, what disability representation looked like at this year’s New York Fashion Week and the need for greater representation both on the runways and in the audience, examine what it means to be truly inclusive as a brand or a designer, and so much more.

Read the transcription HERE

Follow Bri: Instagram: @briscalesse TikTok: @briscalesse

Listen to Bri's first episode HERE

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 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 Sofia Blasco. Sofia is a dancer, Pure Barre instructor, and co-founder and executive director of The Dancer Movement, an organization that is dedicated to reimagining the experience of dance for people with disabilities. We discuss the origins of The Dancer Movement and developing a teaching style for students with disabilities, the importance of collaboration when making a space accessible, and how and why disability can and should be brought into the fitness and dance worlds.

Read the transcription HERE

Sign Up For The Adaptive + Accessible Pure Barre Class taking place on October 2 at 2:00 PM ET at the Flatiron location HERE

Follow Sofia: Instagram: @sofiablasco97

Follow The Dancer Movement: @thedancermovement Website: https://www.thedancermovement.com

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin 

In this week’s episode, in honor of September being Hydrocephalus Awareness Month, I welcomed back Michaela Healy. Michaela is one of my best friends, practically my little sister, and has been living with hydrocephalus, water on the brain, since being diagnosed when she was one year old. We discuss what hydrocephalus awareness month means to her, why she does or does not see herself as an inspiration, and how she is always the first to make fun of herself with a smile on her face and middle finger in the air.

Read the transcription HERE

Learn More About Hydrocephalus And Donate:

NINDS - Hydrocephalus Fact Sheet

Hydrocephalus Association

Hydrocephalus Association - Hydrocephalus Awareness Month 2022

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 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 Nic Novicki. Nic is a comedian, actor, and founder of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. This conversation was sparked by and recorded shortly after it was announced that James Franco would be playing Fidel Castro in an upcoming biopic and actor John Leguizamo’s reaction. We discuss the ongoing struggle for authentic representation in Hollywood, the portrayal of little people, both real-life and fictitious, on stage and screen, and the importance of the Disability Film Challenge.

Read the transcription HERE

Follow Nic: Instagram: @nicnovicki Twitter: @nicnovicki Website: https://www.nicnovicki.com 

Follow Easterseals Disability Film Challenge: Instagram: @disabilityfilmchallenge Twitter: @DisabilityChall Facebook: @disabilityfilmchallenge Website: https://disabilityfilmchallenge.com

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 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 Haben Girma. Haben is a disability rights advocate and the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School. She is the author of the memoir Haben, The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. President Barack Obama named her a White House Champion of Change and she has been honored by President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chancellor Angela Merkel. We discuss turning our self-advocacy into advocacy for others, how humor can be a powerful asset, and the power of writing our own story.

Read the transcription HERE

Follow Haben: Instagram: @habengirma Twitter: @HabenGirma Facebook: Haben Girma LinkedIn: Haben Girma

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 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 Julian Gavino. Known as The Disabled Hippie, Julian is a model and activist in the disability and transgender communities. We discuss the intersectionality of these two marginalized communities, what it takes to create a brand for ourselves, the importance of working with companies that will protect our brand and identities.

Read the transcription HERE

Follow Julian: Instagram: @thedisabledhippie

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 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 Steve Serio. Steve is a Team USA wheelchair basketball player, 3 time Paralympian, and 2x gold medal winner. We discuss the role sports has played in our lives, what it means to him to be an inspirational athlete, and the importance of seeing disability representation both on and off the court.

Read the transcription HERE

Follow Steve: Instagram: @steveserio11 Facebook: Steve Serio

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected] 

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin