Getting Down to Curiosity
Plus a BONUS interview with Qudsiya in the Down to the Struts feed
Hello dear DTTS community!
I hope you have begun 2024 in peace, and with a sense of rejuvenation. This is hard, given all that is going on in the world, but that is my wish for you.
I ended 2023 in gratitude for this community, and that sentiment has taken me right into this year. I am amazed at how our community has grown. In 2023, listeners streamed Down to the Struts in 20 countries. Nearly 1,500 people are listening across our primary platforms, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This newsletter now has 78 subscribers.
Thank you for your support, and your commitment to learning about how the disabled experience can help us manifest a more accessible, just, and inclusive world together. And let’s keep it going—if you haven’t already, please subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you love to listen, and be sure to share the podcast and the newsletter with your friends, colleagues, and loved ones.
It is in this spirit of gratitude that I’m thrilled to announce our upcoming eighth season! Starting February 13, we’ll bring you six new interviews with disabled leaders who are changing the world in fields like photography, audio storytelling, entrepreneurship, the sciences, and so much more.
Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss our special sneak peek into Season 8, coming soon! And if you can, drop us a review and tell us what you think of the show —we love to hear from you. You can also email us at downtothestruts@gmail.com.
For the last couple of years, rather than having a new year’s resolution or a long lofty list of goals for the year, I’ve taken to identifying one word that encapsulates the intentions that I want to set for the year, and the ways I want to learn, grow, and change. A huge shout-out to our indomitable audio producer, Ilana Nevins, for introducing me to this practice, which I’ve found really works for me.
This year, my word of the year is curiosity. I want to be curious about everything—from new books, to new experiences, to new ways of thinking about my relationships with others and my purpose in the world. I want to be curious about the disability experience in all its forms, and expand the way I use that knowledge to foster justice, kindness, and community bonds in whatever it is I choose to do this year.
Curiosity is a two-way street—it involves both the effort of understanding others, and understanding ourselves. As I’ve explained many times in this newsletter, I have a deep discomfort with social media, especially when it comes to sharing personal details and experiences in public spaces. But I recognize the value in being vulnerable as a way of demonstrating empathy, as scary as it may be at times.
So, in the spirit of curiosity, I sat down with my social media manager and Getting Down to It editor, Avery Anapol, to answer some questions and share more about my story. I hope you enjoy our conversation, and that it awakens curiosity and connection as you listen.
In solidarity,
Qudsiya