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.

Lawrence Carter-Long, Director of Engagement at ReelAbilities, shares how living with cerebral palsy led him from “poster child” to reshaping disability representation in film and media. This episode explores how storytelling influences perception, why disability narratives remain misrepresented, and how ReelAbilities is driving cultural change through authentic voices, inclusive filmmaking, and community. A powerful conversation on visibility, identity, and the future of disability in media.

Lawrence Carter-Long shares how growing up with cerebral palsy shaped his life’s purpose in storytelling and media. From poster child to leading ReelAbilities, he explores how film influences perception, why disability representation is still misaligned with reality, and how authentic stories can shift culture faster than policy. This conversation reveals the power of visibility, lived experience, and who gets to tell the story.

What if the biggest barrier to inclusion isn’t accessibility but culture? In this episode, Alycia Anderson and Meghan Connolly Haupt explore how perception, expectations, and shared responsibility shape truly inclusive communities. From workplace leadership to everyday interactions, they unpack why empathy and creativity matter more than compliance alone. This conversation challenges us to move beyond physical access and choose, together, to build spaces where everyone genuinely belongs.