What do people really see when they look at you?
In this moving and deeply human conversation, disability advocate and TEDx speaker Jake April joins Jill L. Ferguson to unpack the power—and the danger—of first impressions. Born three months premature with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, Jake shares how strangers often notice the way he walks or holds his hand long before they recognize his ambition, intelligence, or grit. His TEDx talk, First Impressions, grew out of that lived reality—and the determination to be known for more than what meets the eye.
From dozens of rejections before landing his TEDx stage, to finding his voice through Toastmasters, sports broadcasting internships with the New York Islanders, and a lifelong love of radio and sports, Jake’s story is about showing up even when the world doubts you. He opens up about adaptive skiing in Colorado, the complicated love of parents who want to protect you, and what it really means to advocate—starting with yourself.
This episode also introduces Jake’s heart-centered clothing line POS+Ability, a tribute to his late cousin and a partnership with Spectrum Designs (https://www.spectrumdesigns.org/) that employs people on the autism spectrum. Every shirt carries a reminder: just because it rains doesn’t mean it has to pour.
Together, Jill and Jake explore:
Why success is found in the attempt, not the applause
How small, quiet acts of self-advocacy create lasting change
The courage it takes to take the stage—literal or metaphorical
Why we should all offer people a second impression
If you’ve ever felt unseen, underestimated, or hesitant to go for what you really want, this episode will remind you: there is no show unless you show up.
