Alycia Anderson interviews Rachel Shaw, award-winning HR strategist and ADA compliance expert. They discuss how HR can evolve beyond policies to center humanity, ADA understanding, and inclusive practices that empower employees and employers alike. Rachel shares insights on better communication, curiosity-led accommodation decisions, and why representation and empathy in HR drives lasting equity and belonging at work.
In Episode 128: Humanizing HR — Changing Workforce Dynamics & Creating Equitable Workplaces, Alycia Anderson talks with HR strategist Rachel Shaw about fostering truly inclusive work cultures. Rachel emphasizes shifting HR from transactional compliance to human-centered practices rooted in curiosity, empathy, and ADA awareness. They explore accessible hiring, better accommodation conversations, representation in decision-making, and how inclusive policies paired with authentic connection help create equitable workplaces where all employees feel valued and supported.
The Alycia Anderson Company, LLC proudly announces its certification as a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) through Disability:IN. This milestone reflects a deep commitment to turning inclusion into action through consulting, speaking, and systems-level change. As a Disability-Owned and Women-Owned Small Business, accessibility and equity are not theoretical values, but the foundation of how we lead, partner, and create impact.
On February 6, 2026, I returned to my alma mater, California State University, Chico, to moderate a Student Disability Panel at the Northern California Neurodiversity and Disability Symposium. The conversation centered on lived experience, leadership, and belonging, highlighting both apparent and nonapparent disabilities. Watching student panelists step into their voices and advocacy on stage was a powerful, full circle moment.
The Future of Disability Advocacy Is Already Here The future of disability advocacy is bold, curious, and already asking the right questions. This week, I had the privilege of witnessing that future firsthand. Returning to Presentation High School For the second year in a row, I was honored to return to Presentation High School in … read more… The Heart Of Inclusion At Presentation High School
Welcome to Pushing Forward with Alycia, where lived disability experience meets leadership, culture, and unapologetic truth.
Hosted by Alycia Anderson, a wheelchair user since birth, TEDx speaker, and former tech executive, this podcast centers the voices shaping disability rights, workplace inclusion, identity, and pride. These conversations are not inspiration for inspiration’s sake. They are real, nuanced, and designed to shift how we think, lead, and belong.
If you are new here, start with these episodes. They capture the heart of the show. Disability as power. Inclusion as action. Storytelling as a catalyst for change.
Alycia Anderson welcomes disability advocate Olivia Murphy for a community-to-community conversation on identity, agency, and empowerment. Olivia shares her lived experience with cerebral palsy and late-diagnosed autism, discussing internalized ableism, self-acceptance, and the power of authentic representation. They explore how embracing identity and community connection fuels purpose, resilience, and inclusive change.
Read the transcript of Episode 127: We Get It | Talking Disability, Identity, and Power, Alycia Anderson and guest Olivia Murphy dive into disability identity, community, and self-acceptance. Olivia, who lives with cerebral palsy and is late-diagnosed autistic, reflects on internalized ableism, finding belonging, and building her podcast Living My Best Disabled Life. They discuss intersectionality, authentic representation, belonging, and how community and narrative shape confidence and purpose for disabled people.
Accessibility isn’t a ramp.It’s not a checkbox.And it’s not “extra.” It’s the difference between being able to fully participate or being quietly left out. Real accessibility looks like:– Being included from the beginning– Moving through spaces without friction– Having dignity, choice, and flexibility built in, not asked for And here’s what people forget 👇Accessibility doesn’t … read more… Accessibility: The Difference Between Included and Left Behind
Alycia and Marty Anderson talk with Michael Liner, a nationally recognized Social Security disability attorney and advocate known for his TikTok legal guidance. Michael shares his personal journey from early educational struggles to law, demystifies SSDI/SSI processes, debunks myths, and underscores dignity in advocacy. Their conversation combines practical legal insight with authentic stories that empower disabled listeners.
