The podcast about staying optimistic against all odds

Hosted by Neal Ludevig & Amer Jandali

HUMANIZING OUR HEROES

Leave Looking Up is a podcast where we humanize our heroes through uplifting conversations about the somewhat tumultuous and often challenging state of the world.

We interview a diverse roster of guests from Grammy Award-winning musicians, to Emmy Award-winning producers, to internationally recognized activists and influencers, educators, innovators, and more.

This conversation series is designed to inspire. We're here to have thoughtful conversations to uncover the models, concepts, and language used by today’s changemakers to help us all keep looking up.

LATEST EPISODES

EP. 1: THE ARRIVAL

Meet our hosts, Neal and Amer, for the very first time, as they introduce what this special conversation series is all about.

COMING SOON

EP. 2: PIERCE FREELON

Check out our conversation with Durham's youngest Councilman, 2x Grammy-nominated, Emmy Award-winning author, professor, Afrofuturist, community advocate, writer, director, and composer, Pierce Free Carolina.

COMING SOON

EP. 3: SHELAH MARIE

Tune into our chat with author, content creator, and women’s wellness influencer, Shelah Marie, whose work is focused on decolonizing Black women’s bodies and helping disrupt the ideas that women should place themselves last or seek others’ approval in order to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

COMING SOON

OUR OBJECTIVES

DEMYSTIFICATION

We’re here to demystify our guests world and the systems in which they work.

ORIENT

We want to learn about our guests’ tools, resources and role models to help us all orient on our journeys.

INSPIRE

We want to leave our listeners inspired and empowered to act.

KIND WORDS FROM
OUR GUESTS & HEROES

“This very conversation… y'all got me [saying] awesome stuff! I'm like, dang, maybe I should make this into a TED talk…[its] a testament to the vibe that you're bringing and what you're pulling out of me, which is not common.”

PIERCE FREELON, GUEST & HERO

“...I'm very selective about podcasts that I do, but you two are an incredible duo here... I just feel that this episode, and I'm sure...all the other episodes... are just full of so many gems that make your life better.”