Always Looking Up cover art

Always Looking Up

Always Looking Up

Written by: Jillian Curwin
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 A podcast dedicated to telling honest and real stories about living in a world that was not necessarily designed for us.Jillian Curwin Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Cara Reedy And Rebecca Cokley On Disability Through A Policy And Media Lens

    Cara Reedy And Rebecca Cokley On Disability Through A Policy And Media Lens
    Feb 3 2026
    In this week’s episode I sat down with Cara Reedy and Rebecca Cokley. Cara is a journalist, filmmaker and a sometimes actor/comedian. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Disabled Journalists Association where we are working to make a more equitable industry for Disabled Journalists. Rebecca Cokley is a second generation civil rights activist raising a third. She is a political consultant, philanthropist, writer, and producer and is working on her first book. We discuss the current state of disability from both a policy and media perspective, what disability issues and stories we should all be paying attention to and much, much more. For context, this conversation was recorded on January 30, 2026. This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin. 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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join The Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AlwaysLookingUp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn More About the Texas v Kennedy Case: https://dredf.org/texas-and-eight-other-states-renew-attack-on-section-504-and-the-right-of-disabled-people-to-live-in-their-communities/Follow Disabled Journalists Association: Instagram: @disabledjournalists Website: https://discojourno.comFollow Rebecca Cokley: LinkedIn: Rebecca CokleyFollow Me: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jill_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alwayslookingup.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jillian_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jillianilana.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alwayslookingup227@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read With Me:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Goodreads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The StoryGraph⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Minneapolis:Stand With Minnesota: ⁠https://www.standwithminnesota.com⁠MN NOICE: ⁠https://mnnoice.com⁠Community Aid Network MN: ⁠https://www.canmn.org⁠Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:Feeding America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.feedingamerica.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠World Central Kitchen: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wck.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠No Kid Hungry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nokidhungry.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠List Of NYC Food Pantries: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support 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.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ic4ij⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Lachi On I Identify As Blind

    Lachi On I Identify As Blind
    Jan 27 2026
    In this week’s episode I sat down with Lachi. Lachi is a world touring recording artist, award winning music executive, Disability Culture champion, host of PBS series Renegades, Recording Academy National Trustee, and producer of a GRAMMY-Nominated album. Born legally blind, Lachi created the U.N.-recognized organization RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities), a consultancy group, collaborating on disability-inclusive solutions with the likes of Netflix, Live Nation and more, while bringing opportunities to its growing global network of professionals with disabilities. We discuss her newly released book I Identify As Blind, out today, and the stories and conversations that have filled its pages, who this book is for and what she hopes her readers take from it, celebrating the disability community and the people in it past, present and future and much, much more.This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin. 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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join The Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AlwaysLookingUp⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Lachi: Instagram: ⁠@lachimusic⁠ YouTube: ⁠Lachi⁠ Website: ⁠https://www.lachimusic.com/index.html ⁠Follow RAMPD: Instagram: ⁠@rampd_up⁠ Website: ⁠https://rampd.org/ ⁠Buy I Identify As Blind: https://lachimusic.com/i-identify-as-blind.htmlShop Glam Caneshttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DToHjpeEjbV/Follow Me: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jill_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alwayslookingup.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jillian_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jillianilana.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alwayslookingup227@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read With Me:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Goodreads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The StoryGraph⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Minneapolis:Stand With Minnesota: https://www.standwithminnesota.comMN NOICE: https://mnnoice.comCommunity Aid Network MN: https://www.canmn.orgSupport Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:Feeding America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.feedingamerica.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠World Central Kitchen: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wck.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠No Kid Hungry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nokidhungry.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠List Of NYC Food Pantries: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support 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.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ic4ij⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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    56 mins
  • Britt Stewart And Daniel Durant On The Power And Beauty Of Language And Dance

    Britt Stewart And Daniel Durant On The Power And Beauty Of Language And Dance
    Jan 22 2026
    In this week’s episode I sat down with Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart. Daniel is a Deaf actor on stage and screen. He is best known for his starring role as Leo Rossi in CODA, a film that garnered three Oscar Awards, including the top prize of Best Picture. He also starred in Deaf West’s productions of Spring Awakening and Green Day’s American Idiot and made it to the semifinals of Dancing With The Stars alongside his then dance partner, now wife, Britt Stewart. His ongoing work also includes co-leading acting workshops for Deaf students and interpreting in schools, serving as an acting teacher and coach for Deaf film camps as well as national speaking engagements for colleges and universities. Britt is a professional dancer, choreographer, and creative leader whose career blends artistry, impact and authenticity in the entertainment industry. Best known as a Pro dancer on Dancing With The Stars, she made history as the first Black female professional dancer on the show and has since made an impact with her presence. She uses her platform to inspire balance, self growth and connection. As president of non-profit organization, Share The Movement, she champions access, education and representation in dance.We discuss what Deaf representation looked like for Daniel growing up and why he decided to become an actor, Britt’s dance journey that led her to the Dancing With The Star’s ballroom, how they are both working to make their respective spaces in the entertainment industry more inclusive, their relationship and how they have made their world and their home more accessible and much, much more.For this conversation we were joined by ASL interpreter Justin Maurer.This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin. 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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join The Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AlwaysLookingUp⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Daniel: Instagram: @danielndurant TikTok: @danielndurant YouTube: Daniel N. DurantFollow Britt: Instagram: @brittbenae TikTok: @brittbenae Website: https://www.brittbenaestewart.comFollow The DWTS Tour: Instagram: @dwtstourofficial TikTok: @dwtstourofficial Website: https://dwtstour.comFollow Share The Movement: Instagram: @sharethemovementnow Website: https://sharethemovementnow.orgFollow Me: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jill_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alwayslookingup.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jillian_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jillianilana.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alwayslookingup227@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read With Me:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Goodreads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The StoryGraph⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:Feeding America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.feedingamerica.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠World Central Kitchen: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wck.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠No Kid Hungry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nokidhungry.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠List Of NYC Food Pantries: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support 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.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ic4ij⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Relief 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
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    1 hr and 26 mins
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