Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Always Looking Up
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Always Looking Up
Always Looking Up episodes
- 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 take a moment to unpack and reflect. I went into this year with plans and expectations that quickly and quite often had to be altered, in both good ways and bad. And those experiences have made an impact on my body, physically, mentally, emotionally, and have both enabled and empowered me to redefine what it means, for me, to be a little person, a person with dwarfism, in an average-height world.
All proceeds from purchasing this episode will be split between City Harvest and Food Bank For NYC.
Join Always Looking Up on Substack: https://jilliancurwin645746.substack.com
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:
Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org
List Of NYC Food Pantries: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
19 min - 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, style, and wellness for chronically ill and disabled women. As a partner at Boston Consulting Group, she led global research on the disabled workforce experience, which was covered in outlets including The New York Times and Forbes. She has also modeled in national campaigns with Target and Marshalls. Online, she shares her disability journey living with ankylosing spondylitis and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, including intentional style and adaptive fitness. We discuss being a disabled woman at the intersection of style and advocacy, good girl grief, navigating between what’s right with our bodies and what’s right for our careers and much, much more.
All proceeds from purchasing this episode on my Patreon will be split between City Harvest and Food Bank For NYC.
Join The Patreon: HERE
Follow Hillary: Instagram: @hilla_rose TikTok: @hilla_rose
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
All episodes are edited and produced by Ben Curwin.
Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:
Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org
List Of NYC Food Pantries: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
1 hr 25 min - 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 a catastrophic accident in 2017 that resulted in the loss of her right leg and a traumatic brain injury. A former high-level gymnast, Lindi turned to adaptive sports during her recovery, finding purpose and power through competition. Now a 5x national champion and 100 meter American record holder, she represented the USA in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, proving that resilience and determination can redefine what’s possible. We discuss her Paralympic journey that started with learning to walk again, traveling while disabled, the structural and societal barriers that are put in place, and how she is working to dismantle them and much, much more.
All proceeds from purchasing this episode on my Patreon will be split between City Harvest and Food Bank For NYC.
Join The Patreon: HERE
Follow Lindi: Instagram: @lindi.marcusen TikTok: @lindimarcusen
Learn More About Ottobock and The "Invisible Class" Campaign
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
All episodes are edited and produced by Ben Curwin.
Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:
Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org
List Of NYC Food Pantries: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
1 hr 1 min - 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 performer, she’s toured extensively alongside Margaret Cho and Dita Von Teese. We discuss the mask people with dwarfism are often forced to wear, the moment in her career where she was able to take the mask off, creating a character such as Soledad on Mayans M.C. and much, much more.
All proceeds from purchasing this episode on my Patreon will be split between City Harvest and Food Bank For NYC.
Join The Patreon: HERE
Follow Selene: Instagram: @selene_luna Website: https://seleneluna.com
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:
Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org
List Of NYC Food Pantries: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
1 hr 13 min - 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 signature free-motion embroidery. Her work is best described as wearable art, incorporating appliqué and embroidery featuring nature-inspired and character-driven motifs. We discuss her being a designer with dwarfism in the fashion industry and how she is making space for her, what the industry is missing when it comes to designing for little people's bodies, creating without perceived limits and much, much more.
All proceeds from purchasing this episode will be split between City Harvest and Food Bank For NYC.
Join The Patreon: HERE
Follow Caity: Instagram: @ca8ty TikTok: @ca8ty Website: https://www.ca8tydesigns.com
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:
Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org
List Of NYC Food Pantries: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
1 hr 4 min - 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 to make the sports world more accessible for and inclusive of people with disabilities. Jake advocates for people with disabilities to be involved in the sports world as athletes, spectators, employees and community representatives, and he firmly believes that the sports world is stronger when it includes people with disabilities. In the excitement and anticipation of the TCS New York City Marathon we discuss how New York Road Runners has made their races, including the marathon, accessible, what we can look forward to seeing and experiencing at this year’s Marathon, why we should be celebrating the first and final finishers on race day and much, much more.
Join The Patreon: HERE
Follow New York Road Runners: Instagram: @nyrr TikTok: @newyorkroadrunners Strava: New York Road Runners Facebook: New York Road Runners Website: https://www.nyrr.org
Watch the 2025 TCS NYC Marathon: https://www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon/race-day/watch-the-race
Follow Jake: LinkedIn: Jake Stimell
Watch the trailer for Final Finishers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1gdy0KC6w4
Watch Becky Curran's Journey To The Start Line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK6UG0112jw&t=2s
Learn More About The Economic Impact of the TCS NYC Marathon: https://www.nyrr.org/media-center/press-release/2025_0930_nyrrfy25impact
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
58 min - 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 that has provided both economic aide and individual comfort to countless First Responders, as well as his tireless efforts on behalf of those Responders in the passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. Today, John remains steadfast 24/7 in his activism on behalf of First Responders and continues his grass roots efforts to help all those in need. To his core, John knows his mission of advocacy will never cease to be needed; it is, has been and always will be about one thing…. “The Responders”. He shares his story and we discuss how to be an effective advocate and why it is imperative that we keep trying.
Join The Patreon: HERE
This episode is available for purchase on the Patreon without membership. All of those proceeds will be donated to the FealGood Foundation.
Follow The FealGood Foundation: Website: https://fealgoodfoundation.com
Follow John: Instagram: @johnfeal9117
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
RSVP: Celebrating Dwarfism in the Arts
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
1 hr 28 min - 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 about what it means to be a little person and dwarfism history. October is a month for celebration in the dwarfsim community, so we wanted to take the time to discuss how we will be celebrating as well as have a conversation about how being a person with dwarfism is perceived and defined in 2025. Oh, and my mom, Audrey Curwin, makes a cameo appearance to highlight a little person who has left a lasting legacy in our family and our community.
Join The Patreon: HERE
Follow Aubrey: Instagram: @aubreysmalls TikTok: @aubreysmalls
Follow Dwarfism History: Instagram: @dwarfismhistory TikTok: @dwarfismhistory
RSVP: Celebrating Dwarfism in the Arts
Dear Average Height People: Instagram: @dearaverageheightpeople Website: https://www.dearaverageheightpeople.com
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
1 hr 24 min - 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 of the Oakland Roots and Soul soccer teams, and author of White Supremacy Is All Around: Notes From a Black Disabled Woman in a White World. She literally has all the degrees, lives in Oakland, CA, celebrates her disability, is a proud Beyoncé advocate, and has an incredible shoe game. We, as two disabled women who share a passion for sports and fashion, discuss being a woman owner in sports, what it means to actually be a community and purpose driven team, the intersection of sports and high fashion and much, much more.
Follow Dr. Cadet: Instagram: @changecadet Substack: https://changecadetactionnetwork.substack.com LinkedIn: Dr. Akilah Cadet Website: https://www.changecadet.com
Join The Patreon: HERE
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
1 hr 16 min - 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 my thoughts before and after Fashion Week about the industry, representation, and being a little person who has such a passion for fashion, even though the industry still refuses to see her. This episode was originally recorded in two parts exclusively to Patreon members as diary entries. For more content like this, make sure to join.
Join The Patreon: HERE
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected]
Read With Me:
Goodreads
The StoryGraph
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: https://www.inevitable.foundation/erf
1 hr 1 min
About Always Looking Up
From the publisher's feed
A podcast dedicated to telling honest and real stories about living in a world that was not necessarily designed for us.