Team Peri Step Out of Line

The cultural landscape around disability often overlooks beauty, fashion, and art; they’re seen as “extras,” not essentials. But for many of us in the disability community, those creative pillars are just as vital to identity and self-expression. Xian Horn's nonprofit, Give Beauty Wings, recognizes this truth. Their work reminds the world that inclusion in art and design matters, that everyone deserves to feel seen in beauty.Too often, society assumes disabled people should simply be content with what they have, no matter how limited the options, even something as basic as shoes. Expanding access to beauty and fashion isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a movement toward greater equality, one that ripples far beyond what we wear.

When you have a visible physical disability, you face two options: spend your energy hiding your differences, or accept who you are—and if people stare, let them. This was the beginning of Angela Yoder Stepping Out of Line and into the life she wanted. As a photographer, she captures people in the moment by interpreting their unspoken thoughts and feelings through the lens of her camera. Yet for years, she didn’t admit what she was asking from others: to be transparent and live their own unique truth. She soon recognized that it was time for her to be open about her life, her medical challenges, and all that is in between so that others like herself would not feel so isolated and alone.

Dana Arschin is a 3X Emmy Award-winning journalist, mother of two, granddaughter of an Auschwitz survivor, and a dedicated Holocaust storyteller. Her life’s work is centered around one mission: ensuring the stories of survivors are never forgotten. Her dream was to ‘make it’ as a journalist in New York, and that journey began at News 12 in Brooklyn. She later joined Fox 5 NY, where she launched a powerful series featuring interviews with Holocaust survivors. The rest, as they say, is history.But when we say “never again”, what do those truly mean? As history continues to repeat itself, it’s fair to ask whether telling these stories really makes a difference for the next generation. The simple answer is yes. These testimonies—whether from the Holocaust or other genocides—are sometimes all we have left, and as such, it is our collective responsibility to keep their memories alive. And still, it is often times more complicated than that.

How many times must someone be tested to prove they can handle anything? Ramy Gafni, author, comedian, makeup artist, and CEO of Ramy Cosmetics/Ramy Beauty Therapy has been tested—again and again (3 times because why not?!). From beating cancer to managing type 2 diabetes and surviving a near-fatal moped accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury, his resilience, perseverance, and dark sense of humor have carried him through it all.Despite these challenges, Ramy built a successful career while maintaining an infectious positivity (which he more than likely inherited from his mother). His sharp wit and humor led him to perform in comedy clubs across New York City prior to the pandemic. Though currently on hiatus, he hopes to return to the stage again.

Seamlessly integrating her passion for adaptive fashion design with her career as a costume designer/wardrobe stylist in the entertainment industry, Lynn Brannelly decided to maximize her superpower for the greater good. Presented with an opportunity to work with models of all abilities at Runway of Dreams with Alexander Andronescu (her now business partner in their adaptive adventure, Sewn Adaptive) at New York Fashion Week. Lynn came to the realization that she had at last found her passion. As soon as she entered and embraced the disability community, she naturally fell into the adaptive design world and began to make considerable headway into filling the gap existing between fashion and its accessibility through design. Undiagnosed with Dyslexia up until the age of 35, Lynn was often ashamed and very much aware of her limitations. As with any protagonist of a story, Lyn’s weaknesses soon became her strengths as she realized that her disability and the way that she was able to uniquely envision design and its adaptability was easily her biggest attribute and superpower.

Turning the Paige and revisiting one of our alum podcast guests, Hayley Paige, on what’s been happening in her life since we first connected. Soon after we posted her original podcast back in 2020, Hayley fought with everything she had, emotionally, intellectually, and monetarily to win her case and along that arduous journey. She discovered she had more backbone, resilience, and fortitude to Step Out of those Lines. Hayley never stopped designing for her own self, nor did she lose herself in the chaos that ensued during the next four years. She came out on the other side of this court case a winner, stronger than before, and it is because of the army of supporters, family, friends, and her legal team that she surrounds herself with. Hayley’s advocacy for young women in business stems from her negative experiences and led her to testify in Congress in 2024 (Note: in a hot pink Elle Woods-inspired suit) on behalf of creatives fighting to maintain ownership of their ideas and intellectual property. Today, she is a speaker, panelist, entrepreneur, foundation CEO, wedding dresses/shoes/bags designer, and so much more (she also likes to say that she has the best taste in music).

Being an entrepreneur and director of a casting agency for people with disabilities (visible and invisible) seemed to be a natural fit for Elle Jones Hartman. When her daughter, an aspiring film director became legally blind at the age of 22 as a result of a brain tumor, Elle’s HR/PR background was put to the test. It was then that Elle stepped out of line and opened up the Elle Jones Casting Company, working alongside her daughter, Zoë. 

When you are the subject of a social experiment, your perception of what is considered ‘fair play’ in the quintessential female/male gender roles changes… Emily Hay was one of the families observed in 2020 & 2021, as she partook in the Fair Play documentary. Produced by Hello Sunshine and based on author Eve Rodsky’s book (who we interviewed in 2023), Fair Play, not only did this experience alter Emily’s familial relationships but the rewards infiltrated into her professional life. 

Part of the human experience, particularly for people with disabilities, is to gradually shift mindsets and create a normalcy for disability inclusion. Let’s face it, when you have a physical disability and are in a wheelchair, you’re bound to run into problems left and right. Joci Scott, actor, singer, Rollettes dancer, and disability advocate strives to be the change by showing the world what people with disabilities can do. She flourishes in a community that she, herself, has helped create, consisting of people who are trying to navigate the world that we live in while representing the disabled population. 

Why Hello There Sunshine…☀️  Telling authentic stories of women’s journeys is what Hello Sunshine is all about. Sarah Harden, CEO of the multi-million dollar media company, along with its founder, Reese Witherspoon, have more than embraced the Step Out of Line theory in their commitment to highlighting every woman’s journey, with a passion for showcasing those from marginalized populations. Sarah and the entire team at Hello Sunshine strongly believe in the power of equalizing the playing field while empowering women from all walks of life to take ownership of their voices, shift mindsets, and change the narrative of storytelling. Hello Sunshine embodies a commitment to brightening the world by sharing impactful, meaningful, and authentic accounts in order to make a lasting impact within the media landscape. 

When you're raised by a family with a ‘sink or swim’ attitude, and are treated the same as your siblings, you have no choice but to power through and roll with whatever life brings you, and if you have to shatter a few glass ceilings on the journey, so be it. After years of being in the corporate world and accepting whatever little (if any) accommodations offered to her, Alycia Anderson always felt that she never wanted to receive any special treatment and was constantly fighting an uphill battle to balance her medical complications with her work obligations. Today, Alycia is a motivational speaker, disability advocate, podcaster, DEI workplace champion, entrepreneur, tennis player, and so much more. 

As someone who is constantly unpacking and repacking suitcases in her professional life, Isabelle Noack, Marketing, Sales & Branding at Google, is a global traveler who aims to fight against all of the injustices faced in today’s world. Isabelle is extremely passionate about all matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion, in particular accessibility and creating a world that is more accepting of all. Her background in journalism continues to influence her storytelling and bring attention to these global issues as the norm. It comes as no surprise that Isabelle’s passion for social justice started with her unique upbringing and as a teenager, she moved from Africa to the United States on her own to finish high school and go to college. Stepping out of line is her constant and she has been known to travel on her own to Africa and show viewers of her YouTube channel a different side of the continent. 

We’ve all been there, crying in our cars and feeling alone and insignificant. But how many of us can say that because of that pivotal moment, we were inspired to create social change by Stepping Out of Line? Chelsie Hill, founder of the Rollettes, motivational speaker, author, creator, mother to Jaelyn Bloomfield, serial entrepreneur, and professional dancer is every woman times ten. When she realized that there wasn’t a seat for her in the dance world, she rolled in and created her own dance movement. One of her many passions is her creation, the Rollettes, and Chelsie has made it her mission to change the world by showing that all are welcome in the dance world and that the notion of inclusivity matters. She grew up as a dancer and her entrepreneurial drive and competitive nature were always something that was ingrained in her DNA, and that, combined with her ability to roll with the punches, inspires her daily to roll out of line.  Consider donating to the Rollettes Experience's GoFundMe to be a part of this inclusive dance movement by clicking here.

On and off the plate, women are gaining ground behind the glam and fanfare of the baseball diamond. Particularly in such a male-dominated industry, Brielle Speranzini, a Business Manager in the marketing department at the New York Mets, has seen a notable increase within the organization in the inclusion of female executives. Brielle’s journey to date has had her rely on her gut instinct, take chances, push herself to explore new experiences rather than settle into what is seemingly an easier path, and encourage all to step out of line in some form or another every single day.

On the off chance that you don’t have a fireman to rescue you, one has no choice but to rely on their own whits and advocacy efforts. As it is Women’s History Month, Team Peri is giving you a woman who is making history. Emily Ladau is someone that you want by your side while you are fighting to be heard, to be seen, and to be treated as any other individual.  Emily, a disability advocate and author, started her journey as an English major and ended up finding her passion as an advocate for change, acceptance, and undeniable rights for those within the disability community. What is it like growing up with a physical disability in a mainstream school? How does society perceive those with extremely apparent disabilities? Why are we still fighting the same fight over and over again? Both Peri & Emily, each through their individual paths, sought advocacy at Adelphi University and beyond, and stepping out of line just became a natural progression of their ability to shift perspectives and the social paradigm. 

Fair Play: Unicorn or Reality? Can women truly ‘have it all’ without having to ‘do it all’?   Eve Rodsky is a champion of gender equality and disability advocacy. Her aspirations growing up included being a hip-hop dancer for the New York Knicks, President of the United States, and Senator of New York. Today, she stresses the need for women to use their power to step out and into the world and for men to use their power to step into the home. The roles of men and women in the fifties and sixties are no longer appropriate in the present day, nor has it been for a long time. Defying this social construct is what has made this Harvard Law School graduate Step Out of Line on so many levels. 

You might recognize her as Zelda, the snarky Polish maid slamming potatoes on the dining room table in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, where her sarcasm added color and humor to every one of her scenes. Perhaps, you might just say that she was the glue holding The Weissman family together. ⁠Matilda Szydagis⁠ found her voice and stepped out of line at a young age where despite being bullied in school, she entered, won, and dominated every speech contest year after year. Matilda persevered by believing in herself and not letting the noise distract her from what she was capable of as a creative. 

Turning the tables on Ryan Kristafer, where we interview this charismatic Good Day NY entertainment anchor/reporter and put Kristafer in the hot seat. Spreading kindness goes hand-in-hand with the career path that he has chosen for himself. Kristafer first caught the entertainment bug while DJ’ing small parties and emceeing at Mohegan Sun, and he secretly longs to be the next Bob Barker. 

Category: Award-Winning Actors for the 100th Team Peri Podcast Episode: “A neuroscientist who can play the harp, a vegan who has vast knowledge of Yiddish words and who knows how and when to use them, and a changemaker who has created an entire community advocating for mental health.” Who is Mayim Bialik? Recorded just days prior to Peri finishing up her MBA coursework, this unfiltered, unhinged, and no-holds-barred conversation makes this podcast a Big Bang. We’ve covered almost every topic imaginable, from Mayim’s Step Out of Line moment that determined the course of her life, her love of the entertainment industry and balancing her religious beliefs, motherhood, acting, podcasting, and just being Mayim Bialik. We don’t want to give away too much but we guarantee that you’ll have all the feels when listening to the entirety of this podcast. You’ll laugh you’ll cry, be inspired, and fall in love all over again with Mayim as we did. NOTE: This episode was recorded on April 26, 2023, before the SAG-AFTRA strike 

Whenever Curtis decides to throw in the towel and go back to school to complete his MBA, Tom Mizer & Curtis Moore, gets another gig. Since college, Tom & Curtis have been songwriting partners, have multiple Emmy nominations, and are up for an Emmy this year for their work on Season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. How do you make an industrial musical on sanitation in three weeks? You trust your gut, grab inspiration from wherever it comes, and just write.