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Always Looking Up

Always Looking Up

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
  • Austin Halls On Finding The Beauty And Power Of Disability Through Music

    Austin Halls On Finding The Beauty And Power Of Disability Through Music
    Jan 13 2026
    In this week’s episode I sat down with Austin Halls. Austin is a singer, storyteller, and motivational figure born with Moebius Syndrome, using music, fashion, and psychology to redefine self-expression and visibility. He’s the first person with Moebius Syndrome to walk New York Fashion Week and creates empowering dance-pop that turns disability into celebration. We discuss the healing and expressive power of music, leaning into authenticity the beauty of advocacy, how living in New York City has made the impossible possible 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/AlwaysLookingUp⁠⁠⁠Follow Austin: Instagram: @theaustinhalls TikTok: @austinhalls Spotify: Austin Halls YouTube: @AustinHalls Website: https://www.austinhalls.comFollow 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 1 min
  • Ezra Frech On How Perceptions Can Change Through The Power Of Sport, His Career-Defining Photo Finish And The "Invisible Class" Campaign

    Ezra Frech On How Perceptions Can Change Through The Power Of Sport, His Career-Defining Photo Finish And The "Invisible Class" Campaign
    Jan 6 2026
    In this week’s episode I sat down with Ezra Frech. Ezra Frech is a 20 year-old 2x Paralympian from Los Angeles who competes in the T63 100M, Long Jump, and High Jump. He recently won gold in both the 100M and High Jump, and placed 5th in Long Jump at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Ezra is an accomplished athlete, advocate, model, motivational speaker, and 2024 and 2025 ESPY Nominee whose goal is to normalize disability on a global scale by elevating the Paralympic Movement. We discuss his journey to the starting line in Paris, how the Paralympics have changed perceptions of disability, those moments in life where you know you your life is about to change, the realities of traveling while disabled and his work with Ottobock’s Invisible Class campaign 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/AlwaysLookingUp⁠⁠Follow Ezra: Instagram: @ezrafrech TikTok: @ezrafrechLearn More About ⁠Ottobock⁠ and ⁠The "Invisible Class" Campaign⁠ Follow 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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    53 mins
  • Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird On Writing The Stories Our Younger Selves Could Only Dream Of Reading

    Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird On Writing The Stories Our Younger Selves Could Only Dream Of Reading
    Dec 23 2025
    In this week’s episode I sat down with Niamh Ni Hoireabhaird. Niamh is a disability journalist from Ireland. Having been featured in publications like the Guardian, HuffPost, the Journal, the Irish Independent and the Women's Media Center, Niamh’s work seeks to highlight and raise awareness of national and international disability issues.. We discuss disability as a practice, society not wanting disabled people to take up space, and our refusal to listen, becoming a journalist and writing stories for everyone through a disabled lens 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/AlwaysLookingUp⁠Follow Niamh: Instagram: @niamhnih TikTok: @niamhnih Muckrack: https://muckrack.com/niamh-ni-hoireabhairdFollow 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 5 mins
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