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 BEYOND THE FRAME Disability Representation in Film and Fitness Exclusive Interview with Allison Norlian Featured in 'Innerviews' Hosted by Allié McGuire Some lenses capture moments; others ignite movements. Allison Norlian has done both, from personal narrative on screen to empowering inclusivity in the gym, reshaping how disability is represented and experienced. This isn’t just about creating space; it’s about demanding it, filling it, and refusing to let the world look away. ALLIÉ: You grew up in disability culture before the world gave it labels. Looking back, what did disability teach you early on that shaped the lens you create through today? ALLISON: That’s such a great question. Disability culture taught me everything. Living within it is what led me to the work I’m doing now. I grew up with a profoundly disabled, developmentally disabled sister, and a grandmother who had multiple sclerosis and used a wheelchair full-time. Disability, both developmental and physical, was all I knew. I experienced it daily, as a sister and as a granddaughter. I was born into it. When you’re born into that life, it’s normal. It was my normal. What I realized very early on was that it’s the world that tells us it’s not normal. I became aware of the inaccessibility of society, the judgments, and the way people are pushed into boxes. I made it my mission to change how the world views disability. I wanted the world to see it the way I did. To me, disability is diversity. Disability is the norm. We’re all different. And I wanted to make an impact so people like my sister and my grandmother didn’t have to face what they did. ALLIÉ: I want to talk about BirdMine. I love the name, but beyond that, it feels less like a company and more like a calling. When did you first realize that storytelling wasn’t just how you understood the world, but how you could change someone else’s? ALLISON: Yes, BirdMine is absolutely a calling. Everything in my life led me to it. I don’t think I fully realized this when I first started in journalism, but it became clear very quickly. One of my favorite parts of storytelling is allowing people to see themselves in the stories I tell. As a child, I felt alone for a long time. There was nothing out there for someone like me, a sibling, a granddaughter, a child of a single mother. I never saw my life reflected anywhere. Early on in journalism, I realized I could help people feel seen. And so much anger and fear in the world comes from not feeling heard or acknowledged. I realized I had the opportunity to help heal that. I remember creating a series for Forbes Women highlighting women with disabilities making an impact in entertainment. Actors, writers, directors, people working in Hollywood. The reactions were overwhelming. People told me it was the first time they felt seen, that someone recognized their worth. And that alone can change a life. BirdMine took that even further. As journalists, we’re limited. With BirdMine, my business partner Cody and I have full control over the stories we tell and how we tell them. Our first films focused on the disability community because that was essential to me.  ALLIÉ: Let’s talk about your short film. Thirteen is rooted in your sister’s story, but it feels deeply lived. What feels different when the story you’re telling is also the story you’re living? ALLISON: So much of Thirteen is inspired by my mother. She wasn’t trying to be an activist. She was just a mom doing everything she could for her child. Watching her shaped me. She showed me that change is possible just by standing up. There was a moment in seventh grade when my class was reading Flowers for Algernon. Kids were making fun of the disabled character. I went home crying. My mom comforted me, but then she asked, “What are you going to do about it?” I ended up bringing my sister and my mom into school and giving a presentation about disability, about why language matters, about how it hurt. Years later, one of my classmates told me that moment changed his life. He never used the R-word again. Thirteen is about a mother fighting for her profoundly disabled, nonverbal daughter to have a Bat Mitzvah in a synagogue that refuses to break tradition. While it’s rooted in Jewish tradition, the story is universal. We all come from traditions. The message is that tradition can be honored while still creating a more inclusive reality. ALLIÉ: Meandering Scars lives in the space most people avoid, the unresolved middle. What truth were you asking audiences to sit with, even if it made them uncomfortable? ALLISON: I wanted people to see the real experiences of people with disabilities. Yes, we have the ADA, but it’s outdated and not enough. People with disabilities often face mental health crises, not because of their disability, but because of how society treats them. One of the researchers in the film, Dr. Lauren Kazim, talks about how non-disabled people decide what “quality of life” means. But quality of life is different for everyone. Disabled people are living, thriving, and defining that for themselves. I wanted audiences to see Erica as fully human. She does extraordinary things, but she’s still human. You might not agree with everything she does, and that’s the point. She isn’t an inspiration trope. She’s a whole person. Another truth is that community goes both ways. Erica may receive physical help from her team, but she gives them mental strength. We all have something to offer. That’s why community matters.  ALLIÉ: You’re shifting perception through film and through fitness. Between how someone sees themselves and how the world sees them, which changes first? ALLISON: How you see yourself. That’s something I practice daily. Self-acceptance comes before external acceptance. I hope my films help people with disabilities see themselves and feel seen. We all have something to offer. We all deserve to be here. Meandering Scars led me to the fitness world at ZOOZ. I saw how movement transformed mental health for people with disabilities, including Erica. Fitness has always been a passion of mine, but I never connected it with disability until then. Now I get to coach, support, and tell stories. I feel like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. Between filmmaking and fitness, this is my purpose. ∎
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