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Always Looking Up - Anna Pakman, Margo Gignac and James Ian On Emergency Plan And Raising Awareness On The Realities Of Being Disabled In Times Of Disaster
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Anna Pakman, Margo Gignac and James Ian On Emergency Plan And Raising Awareness On The Realities Of Being Disabled In Times Of Disaster

Always Looking Up

04/17/25

64m

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In this episode I sat down with Anna Pakman, Margo Gignac and James Ian, the writer/director and stars of Emergency Plan, a new short film for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. Emergency Plan stars Margo and James as a disabled couple forced to send their young son out alone after a catastrophic East Coast earthquake — when it becomes clear no one is coming to help them evacuate. Ali Stroker voices the radio anchor whose warnings grow increasingly urgent as the crisis unfolds. We discuss the making of the film, the real-world inspiration and reason for telling this story, how systems fail disabled people during disasters and much more.

Join The Patreon: Click ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠

Watch Emergency Plan: https://www.emergencyplanfilm.com

Follow Anna: Instagram: @annatated

Follow Margo: Instagram: @margo_gignac

Follow James: Instagram: @jamesianmusic

The Partnership For Inclusive Disaster Strategies: https://disasterstrategies.org

Learn More About The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge: Website: https://disabilityfilmchallenge.com YouTube: @TheDisabilityFilmChallengeInstagram: @disabilityfilmchallenge

Follow Me: Instagram: ⁠⁠@jill_ilana⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠@alwayslookingup.podcast⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠@jillian_ilana⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠https://www.jillianilana.com⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠alwayslookingup227@gmail.com⁠⁠

Read With Me:

⁠⁠Goodreads⁠⁠

⁠⁠The StoryGraph⁠⁠

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

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

Previous Episode

In this episode I sat down with Rachel Handler. Rachel is a filmmaker and actor known for her stint as Peg Leg Doris on AMC’s “Interview With the Vampire” and her award-winning Slamdance films “Committed” and “HOW MUCH AM I WORTH?” We discuss the magic of theater and storytelling, her creative processes as both an actor and a writer, the importance of something like the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge for disabled artists and creatives and much, much more.

Join The Patreon: Click ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠

Follow Rachel: Instagram: @bionic.brunette YouTube: @RachelHandler Website: http://www.rachelahandler.com

Watch DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY: Click Here

Learn More About The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge: Website: https://disabilityfilmchallenge.com YouTube: @TheDisabilityFilmChallenge Instagram: @disabilityfilmchallenge

Follow Me: Instagram: ⁠⁠@jill_ilana⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠@alwayslookingup.podcast⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠@jillian_ilana⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠https://www.jillianilana.com⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠alwayslookingup227@gmail.com⁠⁠

Read With Me:

⁠⁠Goodreads⁠⁠

⁠⁠The StoryGraph⁠⁠

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

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

Next Episode

In this week’s episode I sat down with Keah Brown. Keah is an award winning journalist, author, and screenwriter. Her work on disability, identity, and pop culture has appeared in Town & Country Magazine, Teen Vogue, Elle, The LA Times, Marie Claire UK, And The New York Times, among other publications. We discuss the connection between disability and celebrity, not having time for imposter syndrome, the pressure of writing an acknowledgements page and much, much more.

Join The Patreon: Click ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠

Follow Keah: Instagram: @keah_maria TikTok: @keah_maria Website: https://keahbrown.com

Follow Me: Instagram: ⁠⁠@jill_ilana⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠@alwayslookingup.podcast⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠@jillian_ilana⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠https://www.jillianilana.com⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠alwayslookingup227@gmail.com⁠⁠

Read With Me:

⁠⁠Goodreads⁠⁠

⁠⁠The StoryGraph⁠⁠

Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:

The Partnership For Inclusive Disaster Strategies: https://disasterstrategies.org

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

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

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