Always Looking Up

In this week’s episode, I sat down with Clinton Brown. Clint is a member of the LPA community and founder of the DAAA team, the New York Towers. We discuss the the Dwarf Athletic Association of America, aka DAAA, how the New York Towers came to be, and why it is so important that little people get to participate in athletics.

Follow Clint: Instagram: @thinklikeclint Twitter: @CB3inNYC

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcastWebsite: www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]

In this week’s episode, I sat down with Dr. Erin Pritchard. Dr. Pritchard is a Lecturer in Disability Studies at Liverpool Hope University, author of the book Dwarfism, Spatiality and Disabling Experiences, and activist in the little person community. We discuss the differences between little person, person with dwarfism, and dwarf, the m-word, and inspiration porn.

Follow Dr. Pritchard: Twitter: @ErinPritchard15

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: https://www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

In this week’s episode, I sat down with Emily Voorde. Emily currently works in The White House as an Associate Director in the Office of Public Engagement. Prior to joining the Biden administration she worked on the Pete for America campaign as a body woman for Chasten Buttigieg. We discuss our learning of what it means to be a little person and to be disabled, why representation matters, especially because disability is so diverse, her current work in the Biden administration and the impact she is making on a daily basis.

Follow Emily: Twitter: @Voorde46, Website: http://eepurl.com/hNzNLT

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

In this week’s episode I am sitting down with the person who knows me best and has certainly known me the longest, my mom Audrey Curwin. We discuss how I got diagnosed, what it meant to her to become an average-height parent of a little person child, and how we both learned how to advocate for accessibility in an inaccessible world.

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

To start, I would like to issue a trigger warning. This week's episode talks about disordered eating, eating disorders, and body image. If these are triggers for you, please feel free to skip this episode.

With this week being National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, I am sharing a part of my story I have hinted at but have never fully told and that is my battle with disordered eating and recovery journey.

Learn More:

NEDA: NEDAwareness Week

NEDA: NEDA Treatment

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: https://www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

In this week's episode I am sitting down with Sean Eberle.Sean is a short stature athlete who competes in adaptive CrossFit. We connected over our mutual interest in Peloton. We discuss how he got into adaptive CrossFit, finding our place on the Peloton leaderboard, and why adaptive fitness matters so much to the little person and disabled communities.

Follow Sean: @sreberle Peloton: TheShortestSean

Follow Me: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]: jillian_ilana

In this week’s episode I am sitting down with my brother Ben to talk about the controversy surrounding Disney’s live action remake of Snow White. We discuss Peter Dinklage’s public reaction, as well as other prominent members of the little person community, Disney’s response to what Mr. Dinklage had to say, and how this instance exemplifies a long lasting struggle for the accurate representation of little people in Hollywood.

Learn More: Peter Dinklage: Disney Responds to Peter Dinklage's 'Snow White' Live-Action Criticisms (Exclusive) - The Hollywood Reporter

How Hollywood Harms the Dwarfism Community (The Takeaway interview with Rebecca Cokley)

Comedian Brad Williams Weighs In After Peter Dinklage And Disney Exchange Words Over Snow White (CinemaBlend)

Peter Dinklage is not the only one angered by Disney's new "Snow White" (MSNBC)

"He's Not King Dwarf," Other Actors Blast Peter Dinklage's Snow White Backlash (Inside The Magic)

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: https://www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

In this week’s episode I am sitting down with Lucy Trieshmann. Lucy is currently a law student at NYU and a disability justice activist. We discuss how many public spaces are still inaccessible, the various injustices the disabled community is continuing to face, and her work with The Breaking Point Project.

Follow Lucy: Instagram: @disabledinjusticeTwitter: @lucy_treishmann Website: https://www.lucytrieshmann.com

Learn more about The Breaking Point Project: https://www.thebreakingpointproject.com

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: https://www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

In this week’s episode I am sitting down with Alexis Barber. Alexis is a content creator here in New York City and is someone I have been following for quite some time, and am continually inspired and empowered by the work she does. We discuss ableism in diet culture, why disability needs greater representation in the health and wellness spaces and what it truly means to live in and love a disabled body. Follow Alexis: Instagram: @alexisbarber TikTok: @alexisbarber_ YouTube: Alexis Barber Website: https://www.alexisbarber.com Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: [email protected] This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

In this week’s episode I am sitting down with Angela Singletary, the founder and owner of A Little Perspective and Purpose by Ang. We discuss finding her place and purpose in LPA, our thoughts on the proposed "cure" for dwarfism, and how A Little Perspective came to be.

Follow Angela: Instagram: @purposebyang Facebook: Purpose by Ang YouTube: Coach Ang Website: https://www.purposebyang.com

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Website: https://www.jillianilana.comEmail: [email protected]

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin