Always Looking Up

Mar 09 2025 182 ep. 59 mins 5
Always Looking Up Podcast artwork

A podcast dedicated to telling honest and real stories about living in a world that was not necessarily designed for us.

  Society & Culture  Arts
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Melanie Waldman On Finding Comfort In Being Yourself

Mar 09 2025 64 mins  
In this week’s episode I sat down with Melanie Waldman. Melanie is a multi-award-winning filmmaker with the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, a member of SAG-AFTRA, an on-air talent member at QVC, host of the Disability Reality Podcast (which, yours truly, will be making an appearance on very soon talking all things on Bravo), and she STILL somehow finds time to teach adapti

Eliza Orlins On Pushing For Change Within The System

Mar 02 2025 53 mins  
For context, this episode was recorded on February 19, 2025. In this week’s episode I sat down with Eliza Orlins. Eliza Orlins is a career public defender who has represented close to 4000 people charged with crimes in Manhattan over the last 13+ years. She’s an outspoken advocate and can be found raging against injustice on her social media platforms. We discuss the misunderst

Jillian Curwin On Turning 30 And Healing In A World Not Necessarily Designed For Me

Feb 23 2025 54 mins  
In this week’s episode it is just me and the microphone as I sit down to answer your questions about my ongoing surgery recovery journey, healing in a world that was not necessarily designed for me, ending the chapter that was my twenties and preparing to enter the chapter that will be my thirties. Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires: Richard Devylder Dis

Allison E. Lang On The Beauty Of Disabled Bodies

Feb 17 2025 62 mins  
In this week’s episode I sat down with Allison Lang. Allison is a content creator, speaker, model, and a medal-winning Paralympian, having just competed in the 2024 Paralympics on Team Canada’s seated volleyball team. Her advocacy focuses on self love and body acceptance with the hope of helping others who may be on a similar journey. We discuss connecting with authentic storie

Chuck Aoki On Wheelchair Rugby And Changing How The World Watches Para Sports

Feb 10 2025 58 mins  
In this week’s episode I sat down with Chuck Aoki. Chuck is an American wheelchair rugby, aka “murder ball” player, a 4-time Paralympic medalist and one of the most recognized and decorated athletes in the sport both on the court and off. He is also one of the co-founders of Culxtured, a media collective that is changing the ways in which the world views para sport. We discus

Violet On The Weight Of Words When Said Behind A Podium Or A Desk

Feb 05 2025 61 mins  
In this episode I sat down with Violet aka hi its vi. Violet is a disability advocate, filmmaker, and content creator with almost 100 thousand followers on TikTok. Violet’s advocacy focuses on the representation of people with dwarfism in the media. For context, we recorded this episode on February 3rd following remarks made by the President and the media about people with dwarfi

Adam Ayers On The Wins That Happen On A Level Playing Field

Feb 02 2025 67 mins  
In this week’s episode I sat down with Adam Ayers. Adam is the current president of the Dwarf Athletic Association of America, also known as DAAA. DAAA is a non-profit organization that provides athletic opportunities for people of short stature. The organization consists of a core Board of Directors who are supported by volunteers and philanthropic contributors. We discuss how D

Keely Cat-Wells On Making Investments And Making Space For Disability

Jan 27 2025 56 mins  
In this week’s episode I sat down with Keely Cat-Wells. Keely, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Presidential Leadership Scholar, has been a dedicated advocate for disability rights since becoming Disabled in her teens. She is the CEO of Making Space, a talent acquisition and learning platform and co-founded Making Space Media, producing content that centers Disabled voices. We di

Julia Métraux On Media Literacy And Disability

Jan 20 2025 54 mins  
In this week’s episode I sat down with Julia Métraux. Julia is Mother Jones' disability reporter, where she covers disability, chronic illness and mental health as it relates to politics. Her experience is influenced by her lived experience with vasculitis, a TBI, ME/CFS and hearing loss. We discuss what it means to be a disability reporter, how reporting on disability has evolv

Jillian Curwin On What It Means To Be Healing

Jan 12 2025 41 mins  
In this week's episode it is just me and the microphone. After my most recent doctor's appointment last week (week of 1/6/2025) I wanted to sit down and update you all on how I'm doing, how I'm feeling, my frustrations, my hopes, my growth, my pain...all of it. Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires: Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydis