Disabled Americans are not a political afterthought—they are one of the most powerful and misunderstood voting blocs in the country. This second installment in the Disability & Democracy series examines what the disability community actually needs from American democracy: accessible voting, protected civil rights, strengthened Medicaid and community-based services, accurate data, political recognition, and a democracy that understands disability rights as freedom infrastructure.
More than 40 million disabled Americans are eligible to vote, making the disability community one of the largest — and least recognized — political constituencies in the United States. As economic uncertainty grows and debates around Medicare, Social Security, and accessibility intensify, disabled voters may become a decisive force in the 2026 midterms. This article explores the untapped political power of the disability electorate and why the conversation can no longer wait.
In this powerful episode of Pushing Forward with Alycia, Mindy Henderson shares her journey from hiding her disability during a 20-year tech career to becoming a leading voice in disability advocacy. Together, Alycia and Mindy discuss accessible air travel, internalized ableism, storytelling, authenticity, and the courage to “do it scared.” This conversation is an inspiring reminder that our stories have the power to create progress and meaningful change.
In Episode 140 of Pushing Forward with Alycia, Mindy Henderson shares her journey from hiding her disability during a 20-year tech career to becoming a leading advocate for accessible air travel and authentic storytelling. Alycia and Mindy unpack internalized ableism, disability visibility, social media, advocacy, and the courage to “do it scared.” This inspiring conversation explores how finding your voice and sharing your story can create powerful personal and societal change.
Tony Award winner Ali Stroker joins Alycia Anderson for a powerful conversation on Broadway, disability representation, and owning your story. From reclaiming the public gaze through theater to making history on Broadway, Ali shares how she built confidence, purpose, and success on her own terms. This episode explores resilience, identity, motherhood, and the courage to stop waiting for permission and start creating your own path forward.
Tony Award winner Ali Stroker joins Alycia Anderson to share her journey from early dreams to making Broadway history. In this powerful conversation, Ali opens up about disability representation, confidence, and learning to be seen on her own terms. From navigating the gaze to owning the spotlight, this episode is a reminder that you do not need permission to create a life that is bold, visible, and fully yours.
In Episode 138 of Pushing Forward with Alycia, author and professor Molly Gaudry shares how a concussion reshaped her identity, creativity, and sense of self. From sensory overload and vision disruption to redefining hustle culture, Molly explores what it means to live and create in a body that has changed. This powerful conversation reimagines storytelling, resilience, and the journey back to yourself.
In this Episode 138 transcript of Pushing Forward with Alycia, Molly Gaudry shares her journey as an author and professor navigating life after a concussion that disrupted her vision, identity, and creative process. From being told she might never read again to redefining hustle culture and boundaries, this conversation explores resilience, sensory processing challenges, and what it means to rebuild a life and voice through storytelling.
Peri Finkelstein is changing how the world understands voice, disability, and visibility. Living with muscular dystrophy, she transformed communication challenges into a powerful platform, culminating in her TEDx talk and growing advocacy. In this episode, we unpack stigma, assistive technology, resilience, and the courage to step out of line. It’s a bold conversation about being heard, redefining identity, and why accessibility is innovation in action.
Peri Finkelstein is redefining what it means to be heard. Born with muscular dystrophy, she turned communication barriers into a platform for impact, using voice technology to amplify her message on the TEDx stage and beyond. In this powerful conversation, we explore stigma, accessibility, resilience, and why stepping out of line can unlock purpose, visibility, and lasting change for the disability community and far beyond.
