Pushing Forward with Alycia | A Disability Podcast

Alycia Anderson
  • 5.0 (43)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Weekly

Pushing Forward with Alycia | A Disability Podcast Pushing Forward with Alycia is the weekly podcast that gives disability a voice and welcomes everyone—disabled people, allies, families, and inclusive employers—into a courageous, judgment‑free space to learn, ask questions, and advance access together. Launched June 29, 2023 and dropping new episodes every Thursday, host Alycia Anderson—disabled motivational speaker, DEI educator, entrepreneur, athlete, and storyteller—shares lived experience and amplifies voices across the global disability community. The show began as a safe, respectful space to talk honestly about difference, ableism, and belonging; that welcoming spirit remains its heartbeat today. What You’ll Hear From headline issues to everyday wins, we dig into DEI + disability, digital accessibility, workplace inclusion, disabling ableism, Disability Pride Month, intersectionality, airlines & disability discrimination, and so much more. If it shapes how disabled people live, learn, work, travel, play, create, love, and lead—we’re talking about it. Nearly 100 Episodes (and Counting!) In just two years we’ve published 98 full episodes (as of July 16, 2025) and are racing toward our 100th celebration. Recent conversations feature boundary‑breaking guests like Marsha Elle (bionic model, Billboard artist), Tiffany Yu (Diversability & The Anti‑Ableist Manifesto), Gigi Robinson (chronic illness creator & strategist), Kristen Anderson (global inclusive leadership champion), Isaac Harvey MBE (East London influencer & entrepreneur), and many more advocates, athletes, artists, policy shapers, siblings, caregivers, and allies you’ll love meeting. Who It’s For Whether you identify as disabled, are new to advocacy, support a disabled loved one, or lead teams striving to build a more inclusive workplace, you’ll leave each episode with insight, language, and actionable takeaways you can bring to classrooms, boardrooms, events, and everyday life. Our mission is to be a safe place to learn, share, ask “no wrong” questions, and transform awkwardness into connection. Listen & Support Follow, subscribe, share, rate, and review to help amplify disability inclusion. Sign up for release alerts, suggest a guest, and bring Alycia to speak or train your organization in disabling ableism. However you engage, you’re helping open hearts and clear paths for all of us. Open hearts, clear paths. Let’s go.

  1. The Book Every Disabled Child Deserves: Angelea Yoder on Let Them Stare

    5d ago

    The Book Every Disabled Child Deserves: Angelea Yoder on Let Them Stare

    Alycia Anderson welcomes back Nashville photographer, disability advocate, and Let Them Stare creator Angelea Yoder to discuss her advocacy, her VACTERL Association diagnosis, and the liberation of moving from hiding invisible medical differences to sharing them publicly, including a Good Morning America segment that shifted her fears into feelings of acceptance. Angelea explains VACTERL and how it has impacted her life through multiple anomalies and more than 20 surgeries, and Alycia shares they have the same VACTERL-related experiences. They focus on Angelea’s first Let Them Stare phase, the photography-based children’s book Look at Me: Look What I Can Do, now on Kickstarter to raise $40,000 for self-publishing and printing, with tiers for preorders and donating books to schools and hospitals. They also discuss consent and privacy for disabled kids on social media, and Angelea previews future plans including an adult coffee-table book, a disability-focused modeling agency, and a community hub. The episode’s mantra is simple and powerful: “Let them stare.”  The Big Ideas Behind the Brave Moments  📸 Disability representation through real photography and storytelling 👀 Let Them Stare as a movement for visibility and pride 🧒 Helping disabled kids feel seen, celebrated, and less alone 💬 Moving from hidden medical differences to public advocacy 🧬 Understanding VACTERL Association and invisible disability ❤️ Finding liberation through vulnerability and shared lived experience 📚 Creating children’s books that reflect real disabled kids 🛡️ Consent, privacy, and dignity in disability storytelling 🏥 Navigating medical complexity, childhood surgeries, and self advocacy 🌎 Changing how the world sees disability, difference, and possibility 👗 Expanding disability representation in fashion, media, and modeling ✨ Building community around visibility, belonging, and the mantra “Let them stare” The Quotes We’re Carrying Forward  “I want to start doing something that can help people and change the world.” ~ Angelea Yoder “Even if it changes one child’s perspective of, ‘Oh, I’m not alone anymore,’ then this whole thing was worth it.” ~ Angelea Yoder “I would love to see disfigurement and disabilities in so many more media campaigns and PR campaigns.” ~ Angelea Yoder “Let them stare.” ~ Angelea Yoder From Hidden to Seen, One Moment at a Time  00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Meet Angelea Yoder 02:39 From Radio to Purpose 04:44 Hidden to Heard 06:34 Understanding VACTERL 09:52 Shared Diagnosis Bond 13:19 Kids Book Let Them Stare 16:48 Kickstarter Funding Goals 17:35 Kids Privacy Online 22:09 How to Support and Tiers 23:54 Whats Next for Project 26:56 Final Links and Farewell 28:16 Pushing Forward Mantra  Connect with Angelea Yoder Keep up with Angelea Yoder, photographer, storyteller, disability advocate, and creator of LET THEM STARE, as she works to change the way the world sees disability, visible and invisible differences, and childhood representation. Her upcoming children’s photo book, Look At Me, Look What I Can Do!, celebrates the strength, joy, and ability of every child. Back the Book on Kickstarter: Look At Me, Look What I Can Do! Children’s Book Website:letthemstare.org LinkedIn:Angelea Yoder Instagram:@angeleaphoto Facebook:Angelea Photo Connect with Alycia 🌐 Website: ⁠https://alyciaanderson.com/⁠ 🎙️ Podcast: ⁠https://alyciaanderson.com/podcast⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyciaanderson/⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/alyciaanderson/⁠ Pushing Forward with Alycia gives disability a voice through conversations about accessibility, inclusion, ambition, resilience, leadership, and creating a more inclusive world for all people. Subscribe, like, and share to help push the conversation forward. About Pushing Forward with Alycia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min
  2. Who Is Hospitality Still Leaving Out?

    Jun 18

    Who Is Hospitality Still Leaving Out?

    Host Alycia Anderson welcomes Meaghan Walls, CEO of the Center for Disability Inclusion and president/CEO of Assistology, to discuss how hospitality and events still leave disabled people out and why the upcoming World Cup in Kansas City makes accessibility and disability inclusion urgent across infrastructure, transportation, hotels, and short-term rentals. They explore shortcomings like limited and segregated accessible seating, inaccessible restrooms, and ticketing systems that create major barriers, and Meaghan shares a venue that renovated after losing CDI’s summit due to restroom inaccessibility. Meaghan explains CDI’s beyond-compliance approach, covering AV, counters, wayfinding, information and communication access, and operational practices, and cites disability travel and entertainment spending. She describes the DineAble white paper research on restaurant experiences and dignity, then connects inclusion to hiring by challenging exclusionary job descriptions. They close by promoting the hybrid CDI Disability Inclusion Summit on September 24 and Meaghan’s guiding question: “Who does this not work for?” Big Ideas for Better Welcome  🌍 Global events must be accessible from the start 🏨 Hospitality should mean welcome for everyone ♿ Accessibility is more than ADA compliance 🎟️ Disabled guests deserve choice, dignity, and equal access to fun 🚻 Restrooms, seating, ticketing, and wayfinding can make or break the experience 💡 Access is a business opportunity, not a burden 🍽️ Restaurant design impacts dignity, independence, and belonging 💬 The question every business should ask: “Who does this not work for?” 👥 Inclusive hospitality includes both customers and employees 🧠 Mindset, policy, and operations matter just as much as physical design 📣 Disability inclusion creates better experiences for all visitors 🤝 Sustainable inclusion requires collaboration, community, and lived experience Quotes from Meaghan - Small Lines, Big Access Energy  “There’s been such a long history of perception that creating access is a financial burden versus an opportunity.” ~ Meaghan Walls “Every first-time visitor to a space is disabled by the limits of the information that they’re provided when they get there.” ~ Meaghan Walls “If your employees can’t access the systems, the environments, the processes, or the technology, you’re also missing out on a huge talent pool.” ~ Meaghan Walls Jump Into the Moments That Matter  00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Meet Meaghan Walls 02:31 World Cup Accessibility Urgency 05:53 Seating Choice And Dignity 11:23 Beyond ADA Compliance 16:24 Tech Barriers And Spending Power 18:56 DineAble Restaurant Stories 24:06 Hospitality Hiring Inclusion 28:44 CDI And Summit Details 33:52 Pushing Forward Moment 34:48 Final Thanks And Sign Off  Connect with Meaghan Walls Keep learning from Meaghan Walls and explore her work in accessibility, universal design, and disability inclusion: Assistology Visit assistologyomaha.com to learn more about Meaghan’s accessibility consulting work focused on inclusive environments, assistive technology, and removing barriers to participation. Center for Disability Inclusion Explore centerfordisabilityinclusion.org to discover CDI’s resources, business solutions, events, and the upcoming Disability Inclusion Summit. Connect with Meaghan on LinkedIn Follow and connect with Meaghan Walls on LinkedIn for more insights on disability inclusion, accessibility, hospitality, and inclusive design.Connect with Meaghan Walls Connect with Alycia 🌐 Website: https://alyciaanderson.com/ 🎙️ Podcast: https://alyciaanderson.com/podcast 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyciaanderson/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyciaanderson/ Pushing Forward with Alycia gives disability a voice through conversations about accessibility, inclusion, ambition, resilience, leadership, and creating a more inclusive world for all people. Subscribe, like, and share to help push the conversation forward. About Pushing Forward with Alycia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min
  3. She Was Rescued by SEAL Team Six. Then She Had to Rescue Herself.

    Jun 11

    She Was Rescued by SEAL Team Six. Then She Had to Rescue Herself.

    On Pushing Forward with Alycia, host Alycia Anderson welcomes guest Jessica Buchanan, a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, podcast host, and kidnapping survivor, to discuss resilience, mental health, and purpose after trauma. Buchanan recounts how a teacher from Ohio came to work in Somalia in mine risk education for the Danish Demining Group, ignored her intuition after feeling pressured to travel, and was kidnapped at gunpoint with a Danish colleague, held hostage outdoors for 93 days, threatened with being sold to Al-Shabaab, starved, isolated, and fearful of losing her mind. She describes the January 25, 2012 rescue by SEAL Team Six ordered by President Obama and the call Obama made to her father. Buchanan shares her PTSD recovery, therapy and medication, her concept of “surviving survival,” how writing and speaking evolved from her first book Impossible Odds to How to Survive Survival, and her mission to help others turn pain into purpose. Moment by Moment Through Survival  00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Meet Jessica Buchanan 03:13 From Ohio to Somalia 05:47 The Kidnapping 09:18 93 Days Captive 12:55 SEAL Team Rescue 17:09 Accessibility Check Break 20:15 Aftermath and PTSD 24:15 Reclaiming Her Story 30:39 Building a Platform 34:46 Mission and Legacy 36:25 Pushing Forward Mantra  Quotes from Jessica “Listen to my intuition, trust my intuition, and stop deferring to other people to make decisions about my safety and my life.” ~ Jessica Buchanan “The rescue was only part of it. There’s a second survival phase that comes in the aftermath of your trauma experience.” ~ Jessica Buchanan “There can be more than one hero in a story.” ~ Jessica Buchanan The Heartbeats of This Conversation  💛 Trusting your intuition even when the world pressures you to ignore it 🌵 Surviving the unimaginable one minute at a time 🧠 Protecting your mental health when your body and mind are under extreme stress 🛟 Understanding that rescue is not the end of the survival story 🌱 Healing from trauma through time, therapy, writing, and support 👑 Reclaiming your role as the hero of your own story 📖 Turning lived experience into purpose, memoir, and thought leadership 🤍 Learning that pain does not have to be wasted 🗣️ Telling the truth of your story without shrinking to make others comfortable 🔥 Moving from damsel in distress to empowered survivor 🕊️ Choosing hope when nothing makes sense 👣 Taking the next step forward when life changes everything 💪 Owning your courage after years of survival and recovery 🌍 Using your story to serve others who are navigating their own hard seasons ✨ Living by the mantra: “I don’t understand, but I choose to trust” Connect with Jessica Buchanan Jessica’s Instagram | Jessica’s YouTube PlayList | Jessica’s Website Follow Up with Alycia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share Feedback with Alycia About the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alycia on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Alycia on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Book Alycia for a Speaking Event⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Inquire on How Alycia Can Train Your Employees in Disabling Ableism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy Alycia’s Disability Inclusion Micro Learning Video Series⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    37 min
  4. When My Body Made Me Stop

    Jun 4

    When My Body Made Me Stop

    Alycia Anderson shares an update after a recent medical scare and is interviewed by her sister Corinna from the Slay & Pray podcast. After years without major interventions but with extensive internal reconstruction from her disability, Alycia developed severe abdominal pain and vomiting after eating a large carrot and went to the ER, where a CT scan showed an intestinal obstruction. She was admitted for four days with an NG tube to decompress her stomach, hoping to avoid risky surgery due to prior abdominal operations and scar tissue; her bowels eventually resumed function and the tube was removed. The conversation covers fear, family trauma, accepting support from Marty, Regina, and niece Ella, vulnerability about “invisible” disability issues, postponing work as an entrepreneur, and committing to slower living, dietary changes, and prioritizing health and family. From ER Scare to Healing Victory: The Moments That Made This Story Unforgettable  00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:27 Medical Scare Update 01:08 Meet The Sister Host 02:26 Health History Context 06:00 Carrot Triggered Pain 07:50 ER Diagnosis Obstruction 10:01 Family Panic Support 14:21 Hospital Tube Ordeal 15:27 Motivation Goals Board 17:19 Vulnerability With Ella 21:12 Hospital Humor Breakthrough 22:23 Let People Show Up 24:00 Marty The Rock 25:12 Colorado Sepsis Warning 26:31 Business Forced Pause 27:35 Community Love Online 29:23 Vulnerability And Stigma 31:17 Tube Out Victory 33:28 Recovery Reset Mindset 34:51 Slow Down And Prioritize 37:01 Pushing Forward Farewell  Best Quotes “The invisible stuff that goes on is the harder part of my disability.”  ~ Alycia Anderson “That does not make me think any other way about you. Never, not one time.”  ~ Corinna  The Real Life Lessons Hidden Inside a Five Day Hospital Stay  🏥 When life stops you in your tracks 🦽 The invisible side of disability 🧡 Letting people in when you want to shut down 👯‍♀️ Sisterhood as medicine 👩‍👧 Teaching the next generation through vulnerability 💪 The body’s quiet resilience 🧠 Medical trauma that resurfaces 😂 Finding humor in the hard stuff 🌊 Slowing down is part of pushing forward ❤️ Family as a support system 📱 The power of community showing up 🗣️ Talking about the things we are taught to hide 🙏 Gratitude after fear 🌹 Choosing joy while you can 🎙️ A different kind of advocacy Follow Up with Alycia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share Feedback with Alycia About the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alycia on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Alycia on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Book Alycia for a Speaking Event⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Inquire on How Alycia Can Train Your Employees in Disabling Ableism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy Alycia’s Disability Inclusion Micro Learning Video Series⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min
  5. She Saw the Butterfly Before I Did

    May 28

    She Saw the Butterfly Before I Did

    Alycia Anderson welcomes her mentor and former Chico State professor, Dr. Rebecca Lytle, who has spent 35 years building programs, publishing research, securing grants, and expanding adaptive physical activity and education locally and globally. Alycia shares how Dr. Lytle helped her overcome insecurity as a disabled student and how their early meeting led Alycia into adaptive PE. Dr. Lytle explains her drive for equity and access, shaped by growing up before Title IX, and describes organic program development at Chico State, including adult disability programs, youth programs, and an autism clinic. They discuss adaptive PE as foundational to confidence and independence, offer strategies for inclusive general PE through varied game formats, reflect on ongoing challenges in inclusion and DEI, and highlight international work in India and the UAE. Dr. Lytle’s closing “pushing forward” mantra is to be open to opportunities, take them, and create them. Lessons for Leaders & Doers 🦋 Mentorship that changes your life before you even realize it 🏫 Adaptive PE as a pathway to confidence, access, movement, and belonging 📚 The history of disability inclusion and how far we have come ⚖️ Equity, access, and the unfinished work still ahead 🌍 Global disability inclusion and what we can learn from programs around the world 💬 The power of dialogue between educators and disabled students 🤝 Creating opportunity instead of waiting for it to appear 🧠 Understanding that inclusion is not one size fits all 🏃‍♀️ Movement as joy, freedom, play, and human connection 👩‍🏫 Great teachers seeing possibility before students can see it in themselves 🌱 Progress happens when we stay open, keep planning, and keep building 🪽 Finding your wings through support, belief, and opportunity Quotes from Rebecca  ”Be open to opportunities. Take them and create them.” ~ Dr. Rebecca Lytle  ”Life is gonna go on. We're gonna keep doing what we do. We're gonna keep working on things and keep trying to make the world a better place.” ~ Dr. Rebecca Lytle Core Messages Explored 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Meet Dr Rebecca Lytle 03:00 How They First Met 04:06 Why She Chose This Path 06:40 Building Programs at Chico 08:31 Global Work Snowball 11:06 Why Adaptive PE Matters 13:13 Inclusion Tips for Educators 15:14 Sponsor Break Own It 15:44 Creating Joyful Movement 17:45 Advocacy and Dialogue 21:02 Where Inclusion Stands 24:02 Work in the UAE Today 29:11 Sponsor Break Accessibility 29:48 Mentorship Full Circle 31:33 Pushing Forward Mantra 32:06 Final Thanks and Goodbye Connect with Dr. Rebecca Lytle Rebecca’s LinkedIn | Rebecca’s Instagram Follow Up with Alycia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share Feedback with Alycia About the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alycia on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Alycia on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Book Alycia for a Speaking Event⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Inquire on How Alycia Can Train Your Employees in Disabling Ableism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy Alycia’s Disability Inclusion Micro Learning Video Series⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min
  6. Stop Being Afraid of Accessibility

    May 21

    Stop Being Afraid of Accessibility

    On Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2026, Alycia and Marty host Shawn Jordison (“The Accessibility Guy”) to discuss why digital accessibility is not just compliance but innovation and human impact. Shawn shares his path from an 18-year-old student worker creating braille and alternate media at a community college to leading accessibility roles across California’s 116 community colleges, then launching his YouTube channel and accessibility business. He describes living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and recounts a pivotal experience helping a student with a learning disability use text-to-speech to succeed in college. They address common organizational barriers—time, money, overwhelm, and inaccessible tools—and recommend starting with accessible authoring tools, using built-in features like headings and alt text, testing with NVDA, and inventorying content before tackling legacy work. Shawn also explores AI’s growing role in access and ends with “be an accessibility champion” and “accessibility equals usability,” alongside plugs for Own It Mastery Collective and The Accessibility Check. The Takeaways That Make Inclusion Usable 🌍 Global Accessibility Awareness Day and why it matters 💻 Digital accessibility as a daily part of modern life 🧠 Accessibility is innovation, not just compliance 🧑‍🦽 Disability inclusion in technology, work, education, and everyday access 📄 Making websites, PDFs, documents, and digital tools usable for everyone 🎧 Assistive technology, screen readers, captions, alt text, and voice tools 🚪 Removing barriers before people are excluded 💡 Accessibility equals usability 🤝 Human impact over checkbox compliance 🏢 Why organizations need to invest time, money, and leadership into accessibility 🛠️ Starting small instead of getting overwhelmed by inaccessible legacy content 📋 Building an accessibility inventory and creating a realistic path forward 🤖 AI as a powerful emerging tool for access and independence ⚖️ Balancing accessibility, cybersecurity, privacy, and policy 📚 Education, employment, and the life changing power of accessible learning tools ❤️ Personal disability stories and the connection between lived experience and advocacy 🏆 Becoming an accessibility champion in your workplace and community 🌱 Progress over perfection in accessibility work 🔥 Making accessibility practical, approachable, and less intimidating Pull Quotes Worth Turning the Volume Up For  “Do not compare yourself to anyone else, because comparison’s the thief of joy.” “Organizations really need to shift the mindset of, ‘This costs too much or it takes too much time,’ and instead bake it in the process.”   “ I tend to ride the wave versus trying to protect myself from it.”  Episode Roadmap: Your Accessible Guide Through the Conversation  00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 GAAD And Accessibility 03:17 Meet Shawn Jordison 03:37 Becoming Accessibility Guy 07:04 Disability And CMT 10:27 Accessibility Impact Story 13:42 Business Case For Access 15:16 Mindset And Accountability 20:26 Top Digital Access Tips 21:47 Pick Authoring Tools 22:13 Headings And Structure 23:16 Alt Text That Matters 24:22 POUR And WCAG Basics 25:53 Start With New Content 27:15 Time Money And Fear 28:20 Build An Inventory 29:33 Free Tools To Begin 31:23 AI For Accessibility 38:46 Privacy And Policy Tradeoffs 42:01 Accessibility Champion Mindset 44:42 Accessibility Check Wrap Up  Free Tools to Make Access Less Scary  ⁠⁠⁠NVDA Screen Reader⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ NVDA is a free screen reader for Windows. Shawn recommended it as a way to start understanding how people who are blind or low vision may experience digital content. WAVE Web ⁠Accessibility Evaluation Tool WAVE helps evaluate web pages for accessibility issues directly in your browser. It is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, and can be useful for testing public pages, password protected pages, intranet content, and dynamic pages. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠axe DevTools Browser Extension axe DevTools is a browser based accessibility testing extension that helps developers, testers, and designers find accessibility issues early in the web development process. W3C Web Accessibility Principles⁠ The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative explains the foundational accessibility principles behind WCAG, including perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, also known as POUR. Colorado HB21 1110 Accessibility Law⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shawn referenced Colorado’s accessibility framework as a helpful example for organizations. Colorado HB21 1110 strengthens protections related to disability access and government information technology. Connect with Shawn “The Accessibility Guy” Jordison Shawn on LinkedIn | The Accessibility Guy YouTube Channel | The Accessibility Guy Website | Schedule 15 min. With Shawn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min
  7. What If Your Most Impactful Work Happened From Bed?

    May 14

    What If Your Most Impactful Work Happened From Bed?

    Alycia Anderson welcomes Elizabeth Ansell, founder of #NotJustFatigue, a nonprofit advancing awareness, research, and policy for ME/CFS, and discusses how Elizabeth has driven advocacy and federal policy work while bedbound. Elizabeth shares becoming ill at 26 while working in New York City, years of misdiagnoses, and being dismissed as psychosomatic. She explains teaching herself medicine before being diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, defined by post-exertional malaise and many possible symptoms. She describes launching her organization after learning the disease’s history and stigma. They cover misconceptions tied to the “chronic fatigue” name, the need for education and funding, policy wins including ME/CFS language in the Long COVID Recovery Initiative, and an NIH reporting requirement tied to a 2024 research roadmap. She then explains ways to get involved for May 12 ME/CFS Day using “millions missing,” sharing stories, and donating. From Challenge to Change 🛏️ What If Your Biggest Impact Happens From Bed? 🌧️ A Journey of Challenges and Advocacy 🔄 We Can’t Change the Past, But We Can Change the Future 🧠 Tackling Misconceptions and Living Within Limits 📊 It’s Not Rare, 90% Aren’t Diagnosed 📣 Pushing for Change with ME/CFS Advocacy 🤝 Joining the Movement 🚀 Pushing Forward Quotes from Elizabeth “ It's very sad that we can't change the past with this disease. But right now in the present, we can work for a better future.” ~ Elizabeth Ansell “I think just keep going, stay determined. For things to change, now is the time that I think it’s happening.” ~ Elizabeth Ansell Run of Show 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Meet Elizabeth Ansell 02:19 Getting Sick and Misdiagnosed 04:02 What ME/CFS Means 05:12 Life in Bedbound Severity 07:37 Why Fatigue Misleads 09:13 Crashes and Energy Limits 10:42 Stigma and Invisible Illness 12:16 Advocacy From Her Bed 15:23 Millions Missing Community 18:33 Grief and New Purpose 21:09 May 12th Get Involved 23:11 Advice for New Patients 24:34 Support Not Just Fatigue 25:43 Pushing Forward Moment 26:47 Final Thanks and Outro Connect with Elizabeth Ansell Elizabeth’s Website | Elizabeth’s TikTok Follow Up with Alycia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share Feedback with Alycia About the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alycia on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Alycia on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Book Alycia for a Speaking Event⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Inquire on How Alycia Can Train Your Employees in Disabling Ableism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy Alycia’s Disability Inclusion Micro Learning Video Series⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    28 min
  8. Do It Scared

    May 7

    Do It Scared

    Alycia Anderson welcomes Mindy Henderson, who is a speaker, author, VP of Disability Outreach and Empowerment at the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and editor-in-chief of Quest Media, to discuss disability advocacy, especially accessible air travel. Mindy explains why adding wheelchair spots on airplanes is complex due to regulation, safety testing, and staff training. They reflect on their shared experiences spending 20 years in tech while trying to “hide” disability. Mindy also describes how job loss pushed her into writing The Truth About Things That Suck and building a speaking platform centered on honest storytelling. Insights You Can Use 📣 Advocacy Efforts and Challenges ✨ When You Lean Into Who You Are, the Magic Happens 🔄 Like It or Leave It: The Authenticity Pivot 💭 Reflecting on Personal Journeys 🪞 Be the You That Is the You ✍️ The Journey to Writing 🌧️ Adversity Is Universal, And Sometimes Things Just Suck 🚀 Empowerment and Future Directions 😬 Do It Scared: Say Yes, Then Figure It Out Quotes from Mindy “Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways we create progress in our world.” ~ Mindy Henderson “I think that there’s a lot the world needs right now. It just needs good people out there who are afraid, but they're not letting it stop them.” ~ Mindy Henderson  ”Adversity is a universal truth. It's something that we all experience in one way or another. Sometimes things just suck, and that’s okay.” ~ Mindy Henderson Play-by-Play Guide 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Meet Mindy Henderson 02:19 Advocacy Priorities Today 04:21 Why Air Travel Is Hard 07:07 New DOT Training Rules 13:52 From Tech to Advocacy 18:07 Finding Your Authentic Voice 23:52 Truth About Things That Suck 26:35 Where to Get the Book 29:08 Do It Scared Finale Connect with Mindy Henderson Mindy’s Website | Mindy’s LinkedIn | Mindy’s Instagram | Mindy’s Facebook Follow Up with Alycia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share Feedback with Alycia About the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alycia on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Alycia on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Book Alycia for a Speaking Event⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Inquire on How Alycia Can Train Your Employees in Disabling Ableism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy Alycia’s Disability Inclusion Micro Learning Video Series⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
43 Ratings

About

Pushing Forward with Alycia | A Disability Podcast Pushing Forward with Alycia is the weekly podcast that gives disability a voice and welcomes everyone—disabled people, allies, families, and inclusive employers—into a courageous, judgment‑free space to learn, ask questions, and advance access together. Launched June 29, 2023 and dropping new episodes every Thursday, host Alycia Anderson—disabled motivational speaker, DEI educator, entrepreneur, athlete, and storyteller—shares lived experience and amplifies voices across the global disability community. The show began as a safe, respectful space to talk honestly about difference, ableism, and belonging; that welcoming spirit remains its heartbeat today. What You’ll Hear From headline issues to everyday wins, we dig into DEI + disability, digital accessibility, workplace inclusion, disabling ableism, Disability Pride Month, intersectionality, airlines & disability discrimination, and so much more. If it shapes how disabled people live, learn, work, travel, play, create, love, and lead—we’re talking about it. Nearly 100 Episodes (and Counting!) In just two years we’ve published 98 full episodes (as of July 16, 2025) and are racing toward our 100th celebration. Recent conversations feature boundary‑breaking guests like Marsha Elle (bionic model, Billboard artist), Tiffany Yu (Diversability & The Anti‑Ableist Manifesto), Gigi Robinson (chronic illness creator & strategist), Kristen Anderson (global inclusive leadership champion), Isaac Harvey MBE (East London influencer & entrepreneur), and many more advocates, athletes, artists, policy shapers, siblings, caregivers, and allies you’ll love meeting. Who It’s For Whether you identify as disabled, are new to advocacy, support a disabled loved one, or lead teams striving to build a more inclusive workplace, you’ll leave each episode with insight, language, and actionable takeaways you can bring to classrooms, boardrooms, events, and everyday life. Our mission is to be a safe place to learn, share, ask “no wrong” questions, and transform awkwardness into connection. Listen & Support Follow, subscribe, share, rate, and review to help amplify disability inclusion. Sign up for release alerts, suggest a guest, and bring Alycia to speak or train your organization in disabling ableism. However you engage, you’re helping open hearts and clear paths for all of us. Open hearts, clear paths. Let’s go.

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