It’s not often that one of your childhood friends is a Grammy, Tony, and Emmy award winner. But that is the case with Jess and music director, arranger, and composer— Alex Lacamoire. Alex is best known for his work on Broadway shows like In The Heights, Dear Evan Hansen, and Hamilton. 

Most recently, Alex composed the score for Netflix’s Vivo and serves as Executive Music Producer on the upcoming film Tick, Tick...BOOM!

On this episode, Alex and Jess (who have been friends since they were 12) talk about Alex’s musical childhood, the incredible success of Hamilton, and his efforts to extend the same opportunities he’s had to the next generation. 

Alex and Jess both attended the same performing arts middle school and high school in Miami. But this is the first time these friends are talking about Alex’s hearing impairment and how it impacted the Dominant Stories he told himself as a kid, and how he’s learned to not only overcome those stories but help change them for the next generation of musicians. 

Alex, who co-arranged the score of Hamilton and also is the orchestrator, music director, and conductor for the original broadway show, reflects with Jess on how Hamlton has changed the trajectory of representation in musicals forever. 

For all of you Ham Fans out there - you don’t want to miss this one! 

And if you want to help pay it forward for the next generation of musical artists - Alex talks about the organization he co-founded, M.U.S.E. (Musicians United for Social Equity) to help increase diversity in the theater industry by providing resources, internships, mentorships, and support to historically marginalized people of color. 

You can search through their directory of talent to find a musician for your next show at museonline.org. 

You also can follow Alex Lacamoire @LacketyLac on Twitter and @alacamoire on Instagram. 

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know. 

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner. 

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - podcast@jessweiner.com or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may remember Stacy London, one of America’s foremost style experts and co-host of TLC’s iconic show, “What Not to Wear.”

Well now, in the middle passage of her life, Stacy is adding CEO to her resume. After an accomplished career in fashion, Stacy is now CEO of State of Menopause, a lifestyle company that is advocating for the underrepresented issue of menopause while providing helpful products. 

In this episode, she speaks with Jess about her own confusion when perimenopause hit, and how she didn’t have the knowledge or language to help herself through what many women experience as a difficult time.

Stacy vulnerably shares how we can all set ourselves up for a healthier outlook on aging and the changes happening to our bodies as we grow older. 

With so many Dominant Stories in culture around aging, this conversation is an important reminder that we can shift the narrative and in turn the way we see ourselves! 

You can find Stacy London on social media, or visit her company’s website at stateofmenopause.com, to find products and advice. 

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know. 

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner. 

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - podcast@jessweiner.com or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Jess speaks publicly for the first time in a decade about a subject near and dear to her heart: body positivity in the context of weight loss. This episode tackles the question:

“Can you love your body while still desiring to lose weight?” 

Jess and her guest for this episode, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, have both experienced 100+ lb weight loss in their life. They know firsthand what it’s like to grapple with that question. They both share candidly about what life is like in a larger body and what happened when that weight started to drop (the answer may surprise you).

Amani’s not only a voice for body inclusivity for women around the world but at 25 years of age she’s also a “media titan” (according to the New York Times) and the founder and creator of muslimgirl.com. 

Amani started Muslim Girl as a blog when she was still in high school. After she couldn’t find any publications that spoke to her experience as a Muslim girl growing up in America, she decided to make her own. The blog has since taken off and become the first Muslim company on the Forbes 30 under 30 list, making Amani the first veiled woman to be listed.

Amani’s background is important because her experience growing up as a Muslim woman in America affected her weight, just as her weight affected her experience as a Muslim woman. This is an intersectional conversation that embraces the nuance inherent to the question of the episode. There’s so much more to health than weight, there’s so much more to weight than the way you look, and there’s so much more to this conversation that you’ll just have to hear for yourself!  

You can follow Amani @Amani on most platforms, and @xoamani on Twitter. Also, check out her book named by the same title as her blog: Muslim Girl.  

To learn how you can support the next generation to have a positive relationship with beauty, visit Dove.com/selfesteem for academically validated tools to help parents, teachers, and mentors tackle tough topics ranging from bullying and poor body image to discrimination.  

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know. 

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner. 

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - podcast@jessweiner.com or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.