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) ...
Jan 12, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 12
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...
Jan 05, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 11
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 b...
Dec 29, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 10
We’ve been collecting questions from you, sweet listener, and in this very special holiday edition of Dominant Stories, Jess and Iskra Lawrence tackle some of your questions: From managing grief during this time of year to managing body image and appearance related comments from your family, this episode is your guide to survive the holidays with your sanity intact. Iskra started her career in modeling, but after being told she was either “too big” or “not big enough,” she decided to focus on pr...
Dec 22, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Jess talks with Rachel Bloom, Emmy and Golden Globe winner, and the star and creator of the hit show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. After Rachel’s recent breast reduction surgery and the media’s (false) portrayal of it, they discuss how media tropes and stereotypes can force women into boxes about how they feel about themselves. Jess and Rachel reflect on the new culture of “tweakments,” and the evolving understanding that body modifications like plastic surgery can be empowering in some situations, or th...
Dec 15, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 8
We all know and love the mind of Shonda Rhimes. She’s the founder of Shondaland and the force behind so many beloved TV series including Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and How to Get Away with Murder + Bridgerton. In this episode, Shonda talks about the intentionality behind her shows and explains how having a diverse cast and crew wasn’t so much a matter of choice as it was simply inevitable. She talks about her “unaplogetically feminist upbringing,” and a family that gave their children wha...
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Hi, Dominant Story fans! We're excited to share the Jill Scott podcast hosted by culture expert Jill Scott. It's a show from iHeartRadio and we think you'll enjoy it too. Don't just take our word for it, though. Check out the trailer and decide for yourself! About the podcast : Jill Scott, Laiya St.Clair, and Aja Graydon-Dantzler are music and entertainment icons, but they’re also experts in the art of no-holds-barred conversations. Jill Scott Presents: J.ill the Podcast is like chilling with th...
Dec 03, 2021•4 min
You might think that “breaking the binary” is only about breaking the gender binary, but there is so much more to binary thinking. Binary thinking refers to anytime we see the world as one way OR another. Binary thinking allows no room for the in-between. And Dominant Stories thrive on binary thinking. To help us explore how thinking differently about our gender, beauty fashion, and identity can help us break free from our limiting beliefs, Jess is joined by two incredible guests: Addison Rose V...
Dec 01, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 6
Today’s episode is all about the ritual of beauty. Jess speaks with Ana Flores, speaker and founder of the We All Grow Latina network, about the beauty rituals that were handed down to her as a young woman from El Salvador. Now as a mother herself, Ana is conscious about the beauty rituals and ideas she chooses to hand down to her 14 year old daughter. She shares how she talks with her daughter about beauty and the male gaze, and how she heals ancestral wounds. And she gives us a beautiful defin...
Nov 24, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode, Jess talks with world renowned poet and speaker, Azure Antoinette, about her Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. Azure has been called the “Maya Angelou of the millennial generation” by Forbes magazine. She’s a slam poet who has shared a stage with Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love , and Lady Gaga. Her words are like rays of truth and anyone who meets her knows she is a force to be reckoned with. Words are her superpower and when she was diagnosed with MS in her 20’s, Azure faced n...
Nov 17, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this episode, Jess speaks with actor Debby Ryan, about her journey growing up as a child star appearing on shows like the Disney Channel series, “Jessie”. Now in her late 20’s, Debby is evolving into an industry powerhouse. She has 10’s of millions of followers online and is transparent about how she navigates living authentically while also living her life in the limelight. Whether it’s looking more closely at the “compare and despair” trap of social media or sharing the ways she tends to he...
Nov 10, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this keystone episode, Jess talks with her friend, psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb to define what ‘Dominant Stories’ are. Lori is a bestselling author turned therapist who's been helping people challenge and change their inner monologues through the lens of storytelling for decades. Lori has a gift for making complex ideas relatable and is the perfect person to explain the psychological origins of Dominant Stories. Lori shares real life examples of how people's lives have been changed by shifti...
Nov 03, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In this inaugural episode, Jess talks with her friend, Sara Bareilles, about the connections between our Dominant Stories and our creativity. You may know Sara as the songwriter for the hit Broadway musical, “Waitress”, and you have definitely heard her breakout single, “Love Song”. In this conversation, Sara opens up about how she navigates taking big creative risks while staying grounded to her “muse” and her mental health. Sara is candid about how our internal negative thoughts can become int...
Oct 27, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Jess Weiner has over 20 years of experience creating impactful discussions and shifting perceptions around body image, representation, beauty, mental wellness, and self-confidence. She’s helped Fortune 500 companies become more inclusive and culturally fluent, including as a partner behind Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign, and helping to evolve Barbie by adding more body shapes, skin tones, and hair types. Dominant Stories has stemmed from Jess’ personal and professional mission to help people chal...
Oct 19, 2021•3 min
