Life as an African-American Woman With Dwarfism: Ali Chapman Part 1
Release Date: 02/15/2021
Poll: How Would Your Life Be Different If You Didn't Have Dwarfism?
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
A compilation of my guests from seasons one and two talking about how their lives would be different if they weren’t little. We only have the life we are living, but I thought it would be interesting to see if anyone had thought of how their life would be if they weren’t short-statured. 15 individuals share what they think their lives would be like if they didn’t have dwarfism.
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Poll: What Does Dwarfism Mean To You?
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
A compilation of my guests from seasons one and two discussing what dwarfism means to them. There are many built-in struggles for little people. 15 individuals share what dwarfism means in their lives.
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Poll: What’s the most difficult thing about dwarfism?
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
A compilation of my guests from seasons one and two talking about what they find is the most difficult thing about dwarfism. There are many built-in struggles for little people. 15 individuals share what they have struggled with the most.
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Poll: What do you love about being who you are?
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
A compilation of my guests from seasons one and two talking about what they love about themselves. As a little person, it can be tough to feel accepting and content in your own skin. These fifteen short-statured individuals open up about their perspectives.
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Moving To Los Angeles Opened My Eyes To A World of Possibilities
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
My move to Los Angeles took a lot of effort, was scary, and completely changed my world. Though some of the jobs I worked were bad or didn’t treat me as I deserved to be treated, there were many that treated me really well. Some of them were fun, some paid well, and I learned from all of them. This is the story of my move across the country and my first gigs in Hollywood.
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The First Little Person In A Major Commercial As A Person “This Means There’s Hope” - Alexia Vassos
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
How many times have you seen a little person play just a person in a commercial on TV? If you haven’t seen this before or, you’re not alone. However, Alexia (fittingly pronounced Ah-Lex-Uh) Vassos broke this streak by being featured in an Amazon holiday shopping commercial in the Fall of 2020 - and she played a human person. Alexia talks about what the commercial means to her and how she is striving to appropriately represent the dwarfism community.
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“Please Delete My Number” Firing A Terrible Agent
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
Receiving terrible treatment from a certain agent for live events has worn me down. I recently heard from them and we had an annoying and contentious text conversation. Listen in as I recount the conversation and talk about the reasons for my reaction to this agent. It’s not okay to treat people in a disrespectful manner and saying no can be one of the most important lessons to learn.
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Vietnamese Dwarf Confronts Aggressors “I was like, What The Fuck” - Kevin Ton
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
What would you do if you were a little person and someone snuck a photo of you to criticize your stature on social media? This situation happened to Kevin Ton. He retaliated in a physical way because he felt threatened and violated. Though he’s normally a collected and rational person, being treated in this inhumane way is hurtful and makes you feel powerless. Kevin discusses the incident and how this treatment can have lasting effects on one’s self-confidence.
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Jimmy Kimmel Live! Hired Me to Be A Twinkie with a Dairy Cow on TV
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
How many actors do you know who have worked in costume, as a Twinkie, with a dairy cow, on Jimmy Kimmel Live!? Christophe has and he recounts the story of a job he worked in 2019 on the late night ABC show.
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“We’re here to make an impact on the world” - Michele Sullivan, The First Female President of The Caterpillar Foundation
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
From working with Bill Gates, Bono, and Barack Obama, to helping impoverished people living in villages deep into third world countries, Michele Sullivan’s impact is larger than life. Even though she’s 4 feet tall, her outreach has been widespread. Her book “Looking Up” tells the story of how navigating her dwarfism planted a seed that inspired her to help people across the globe. And in our discussion, Michele shares some incredible stories of life, compassion, and unity.
info_outlineAli’s life with dwarfism has its challenges. Growing up in Indiana and seeking protection from pointed and harsh comments, Ali learned at a young age how to cover up in winter to disguise herself as a child so no one would realize that she was a little person - she practiced this behavior later into her teens. Having no ambition to leave high school and being met with constant rejection in the real world, she knows what it’s like to be the center of negative attention. Ali shares her passion for Black Lives Matter and what the movement means to her. She talks about how she’s come to own her dwarfism, her blackness, and her femininity. She explains the ways she would be protected by her dwarfism if she were to be in a racially charged situation. Ali possesses a vibrant passion for diversity and supports advocating for racial, disabled, dwarfism, LGBTQ, and anyone who is perceivably different in society.
Thanks to John Lee Dumas for suggesting my subtitle!