Leave Looking Up

On this episode of Leave Looking Up , we sit down with Dr. Yusef Salaam — author, activist, motivational speaker, and one of the Exonerated Five. Wrongfully imprisoned at just 15 years old, Yusef endured years of wrongful incarceration before reclaiming not just his freedom, but his voice, his future, and his name. Today, he is a New York City Councilman, has received a lifetime achievement award...

On this episode of Leave Looking Up , we sit down with the multi-hyphenate creative force Ray Angry — Grammy-nominated pianist, composer, producer, and longtime member of The Roots . From performing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon , to playing Carnegie Hall five times (including a reimagining of Prince’s music), to collaborating with legends like Questlove , Stevie Wonder , D'Angelo , and Jo...

As we celebrate worldbuilders—visionary creators designing a better future through their work and way of being, it's only fitting that we were able to sit down with acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, educator, and artist Poranguí , whose life work embodies this mission. A former professor at the Phoenix Conservatory of Music and Arizona Commission of Artists, Poranguí has performed at South by South...

This season, we’re diving deep with worldbuilders—those who transform a vision into reality. Today’s guest is Casey Fenton, the visionary founder behind Couchsurfing, a movement that reshaped travel for millions across the globe. From a single couch connection to a worldwide community spanning 220,000 cities, Casey’s journey shows how grit, vulnerability, and a clear sense of self can spark massiv...

Hosted by Neal Ludevig and Amer Jandali, 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 mo...

In recognition of United Nations Day, we'd like you to meet Dr. Sylvia Earle, a literal pioneer of our time. Known affectionately as "Her Deepness", Sylvia was named a "Champion for the Earth" by the UN in 2014, and is a renowned marine biologist, oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer. Over the course of her more than six decade long career doing groundbreaking work in marine science, Sylv...

In recognition of National Heroes day, we'd like you to meet Andy Mann, acclaimed photographer, filmmaker, musician, and multi-hyphenate. With work featured in National Geographic , the New York Times, BBC Wildlife, and many more, his work has garnered him an Emmy nomination, 12 Telly Awards, and the legendary Crystal Compass award in recognition of his work that led to the designation of the worl...

Get ready to be inspired as Leave Looking Up returns with its second season, diving deep into the minds of changemakers shaping our future. After a stellar first season that garnered thousands of listens and shares globally, Leave Looking Up is back with more thought-provoking conversations. Hosted by Neal Ludevig , acclaimed producer and entrepreneur, along with co-hosts Amer Jandali and Sasha Di...

Meet Benjamin Von Wong (aka Von Wong), a true one-a-king world builder. A Canadian artist, activist, photographer and long time nomad, Von focuses his energy on bringing more awe and fantasy to our world. Known for his inspiring environmental art installations and hyper-realist art style that have taken the internet by storm, Von’s viral work has been featured globally in everything from TED Talks...

Meet Rana Abdelhamid, a truly inspirational organizer and global human rights activist making positive changes in the world today. Rana is a Truman Scholar, founder of the organizations Hijabis of New York and the Women's Initiative for Self Empowerment which she started when she was 16. She is also a 1st degree Black Belt, and is one of youngest serving board members of Amnesty International USA....

Meet Lorena Beltran, a true multi-hyphenate. Lorena is an international speaker, consultant, and activist on all things cannabis. She is the founder of both CannabiSalud Mexico and Endonatura Labs, companies focused on research, product manufacturing, and advocacy work connected to the legal medical cannabis framework in Mexico. An integral part of the movement that successfully legalized medicina...

Meet Dr. Leyla Acaroglu, an award-winning designer, sustainability provocateur, social scientist and entrepreneur. Leyla's list of accolades is truly something to behold; She’s a mainstage TED speaker, LinkedIn Changemaker and was named a United Nations Champion of the Earth in 2016 for her work in advancing science and innovation for sustainability. On top of all of that, she's the founder of the...

Meet Nate & Hila, otherwise known as Nathanology and Hila the Killa (or more recently, Hila the Earth); two artists and activist voices whose work in the world of sustainability, education, sexual freedom, and activism, have garnered them millions of likes and views of their socials like Tik Tok and Instagram, hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe, coverage from outlets like the BBC,...

Meet Jonathan Javier and Jerry Lee, influencers, job search experts, and the 2020 LinkedIn Top Voices for Tech through their company Wonsulting, which has amassed 1.2M+ followers on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and IG, garnered  30+ million impressions monthly and reached 100M+ jobseekers globally. Founded in 2019 with the mission of turning underdogs into winners, Wonsulting focuses on helpin...

Meet Claire Wasserman; an inspirational educator and author who founded "Ladies Get Paid," a platform, community, and book that champions the professional and financial advancement of women. Named as one of the top most 100 powerful woman by Entrepreneur Magazine’s and one of the 75 most influential financial leaders by “Marquis Who's Who”, Claire has advocated for women globally, hosted podcasts,...

Meet Brady; renowned bassist, producer, musician, and cancer survivor. Touring with, recording, and headlining tours with the likes of Talib Kweli, DJ Premier, members of Rage Against the Machine, and Marc Rebillet, this New Hampshire native turned Harlemite that created the viral series "Bass & Bars", which has featured everyone from Matisyahu to Jadakiss, is worth listening to. In this episo...

Meet Shelah Marie; Founder and CEO of The Curvy, Curly, Conscious movement, mental health & wellness influencer, meditation enthusiast, reality tv star & wife of platinum selling artist Ace Hood.  In this episode, Neal and Amer sit down with Shelah Marie, whose voice in the world of mental health, social justice, and wellness, is making real impact. Throughout the episode, they learn...

Meet Pierce Freelon, 2x Grammy Nominee, Former City Councilman, Emmy Award-winning Producer, Author, father of 3, and most recently inducted into the Kennedy 50.  Join Neal and Amer as they sit down with Pierce and hear about the importance of honoring our ancestors, vibrations, dealing with failures and challenges through acceptance, being obedient to your intuition, and that the way you do...

Our 1st episode welcomes your hosts - Neal Ludevig and Amer Jandali - who tell you what you're in for, their promise to you, a bit about themselves, and gives your a highlight reel of some of our favorite snippets from our first season.