Alycia sits down with Shane Walsh, a JMU student and Best Buddies ambassador, to explore how his brother’s IDD shaped his purpose. From early memories to campus advocacy, Shane shares a powerful lesson on empathy over sympathy, inclusion on college campuses, and building community. Hear candid reflections on family, resilience, and creating opportunities for people with IDD—plus the movement he’s leading to make Best Buddies a flagship presence at JMU.
A Trusted Partner and a Familiar Face This month, I had the absolute honor of speaking for Legend Management Group during their All Hands event in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The event was led by my longtime friend and colleague, Karen Trueman, Director of Talent Development & Brand Reputation. Intentional NDEAM … read more… Speaking for Legend Management Group: Full Circle Moments of Partnership and Purpose
Standing ovations. My TWIN. Pretty in pink. New friends. Sisterhood reunited. Energy forward.Yep, that sums up last week at the EmpowHER Multifamily Conference in Austin… and honestly, I’m still buzzing. We came for an event and left as an energized women’s empowerment movement. Rooms don’t just “get” electric women make them electric. From hallway conversations … read more… Standing Ovations, Sisterhood, and Pretty in Pink: EmpowHER Austin Recap
From teenage motherhood and surviving domestic violence to leading talent at Netflix, Melissa Salazar rewrites what ADHD can mean. In this episode, she shares how self-ID opened doors, how homelessness became resilience, and why “live your box” is her mantra. We explore neurodiversity as a superpower, creating safe spaces at work, and building opportunity for marginalized communities—proof that embracing difference fuels careers, culture, and the courage to belong for all.
ADHD, domestic violence, teenage motherhood, even a season living in her car—Melissa Salazar turned every setback into purpose. On Pushing Forward with Alycia, she shares how self-identification, community, and relentless grit opened doors from Jubilee Village to Netflix, where she builds pathways for overlooked talent. This conversation reframes being “too much” as a superpower—and shows how opportunity plus support can change everything. Honest, hopeful, and actionable, it champions radical inclusion.
Opening PNWEF in Portland was an honor and a charge. In my Heart of Inclusion keynote, we moved inclusion from concept to daily habit—co-creating over helping, accessibility by design, and measurable outcomes. The forum’s magic is community: self-advocates, employers, students, providers, and partners learning together. Thank you to organizers and APSE leaders whose tireless work built space where belonging grows into equitable hiring, accessible onboarding, and real career progression forward.
Progress isn’t a sprint to extremes; it’s a steady roll down the middle. In this invitation, I share how choosing curiosity over certainty, and connection over conflict, opens room for every body to belong. Let’s meet in the compassionate center—where accountability, accessibility, and conversation move us forward together. Bring your story, your questions, your willingness to listen. That’s where momentum lives—and where we change workplaces, communities, and culture for good.
Alycia sits down with the Hon. Tony Coelho—principal author of the ADA—for a vivid lesson in courage, coalition-building, and enforcement. From epilepsy to Congress, Tony shows how lived experience became law—and why rights mean nothing without opportunity. Timed to NDEAM and today’s policy crossroads, this episode is a blueprint for renewing America’s promise: dignity, equal access, and the freedom to succeed—or fail—on our own terms. History, civics, and moral clarity.
Hon. Tony Coelho—principal author of the ADA—joins Alycia to trace his journey from stigma to statesman, share intimate stories with popes and presidents, and reveal what’s next for disability rights. With candor and conviction, Tony reframes advocacy as ministry, explains the strategy behind winning votes, and challenges America to choose inclusion—again. A living lesson in resilience, power, and policy shaping the future we deserve. History, hope, and hard-earned wisdom inside.
Before the luncheon, The Arc Caddo-Bossier gave me a full tour of their programs—and it changed the way I’ll talk about this work moving forward. Frost Industries: At Frost, I watched people learning skills, earning paychecks, and building confidence through meaningful work. You can feel the pride on the floor—steady hands, focused faces, teammates looking … read more… A Day Inside The Arc Caddo-Bossier: Work, Horses, and the Power of Belonging
