In this episode, Isabella “Izzy” Grimmer shares a path from high school disability advocate to cancer survivor and influencer. Guided by her nonverbal brother, Eli, she launched advocacy week, built Accommodate Me tools, and partners with Magical Bridge. Izzy reframes challenges as privileges, embraces stress as a blessing, and shows how allyship begins with learning. Honoring Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, her story amplifies resilience, community, and action for inclusive access.
On Pushing Forward with Alycia, Isabella “Izzy” Grimmer shares her journey—from launching a high school disability advocacy week to surviving cancer, founding clubs, and building tools for neurodivergent students. She spotlights allyship, community, and Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, proving youth leadership drives real change. Hear how Izzy turns hardship into action, inspires campuses to include everyone, and partners with organizations to broaden access and dignity. Practical hope in motion. Everywhere.
Shreveport, you showed up. At The Arc Caddo-Bossier’s Leadership Luncheon at LSUS, I delivered my signature keynote, The Heart of Inclusion. The room brimmed with civic leaders, sponsors, and The Arc’s dedicated staff, united around accessibility, equity, and vision. We heard stories of transformation, honored individuals, and committed together to inclusive change. That standing ovation wasn’t just for me — it was for a future we believe in.
On Pushing Forward with Alycia, Dr. Jessica “Jes” Stavale shares how Fascia Medicine transforms lingering trauma into peace and balance. She explains fascia as the body’s largest sensory, emotional network, bridging Eastern energy wisdom and Western science. Hear her journey through accidents, disability, and resilience; the integrative tools she created; and practical ways to release pain, clear stagnation, and reconnect body, mind, and spirit for sustainable healing and everyday empowerment.
Alycia Anderson welcomes Dr. Jessica Stavale—clinical trauma psychologist and founder of The Fascia Movement—to explore how fascia medicine helps release pain, process trauma, and restore balance. A disabled veteran and survivor, Dr. Jess shares her healing journey, an innovative fascia-release device, and insights from her forthcoming book, The Fascia Blueprint. They spotlight growth mindset, self-advocacy, and trusting the body’s intelligence to transform hardship into hope. Connection, community, and everyday practices.
In Episode 106 of Pushing Forward with Alycia, Alycia Anderson sits down with producer Zian Chavez to redefine beauty through disability. Chavez—Spanish Indigenous, queer, non-binary, and neurodiverse—shares how multiple sclerosis shaped their vision for the documentary We Are The Most Beautiful People. Together they explore resilience, intersectionality, and advocacy, urging a culture where beauty is a feeling truly grounded in kindness, compassion, unity, and the voices of disabled adults worldwide.
On Pushing Forward with Alycia, producer Zian Chavez shares the making of We Are The Most Beautiful People, a documentary centering disabled adults redefining beauty worldwide. They discuss intersectional identities, lived experience with MS, and stories exposing ongoing ableism—from inaccessible celebrations to everyday barriers. Alycia and Zian explore art therapy’s role in healing, global solidarity across communities, and why disabled leadership and dignity should shape culture, policy, and inclusion everywhere.
NDEAM is the moment to turn awareness into advantage. Hire a disabled speaker to move the needle on culture, talent, and performance. Companies that elevate disability inclusion are four times more likely to outperform peers; leaders see 28% higher revenue, double the net income, and 30% higher margins. Alycia Anderson brings lived expertise and enterprise credibility that spark ERG momentum, practical actions, and measurable results, making inclusion a competitive edge.
In Episode 105 of Pushing Forward with Alycia, Alycia Anderson sits down with Sarah Crawford—CEO of TLC and a North Carolina state representative—to explore her impactful advocacy for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. From family roots in service to leading both nonprofit and legislative efforts, Sarah discusses the mission of TLC, funding challenges, caregiver recognition, and the pressing need for systemic change to empower vulnerable families and direct‑care workers.
Sarah Crawford, CEO of TLC and North Carolina legislator, shares how service—and a belief that ‘when government works well, it works for those who need it most’—guided her journey from Congressional intern to nonprofit leader. During her tenure at TLC, she’s grown services from just a few families to over 2,000, providing residential support, therapies, and navigation. Her vision? Inclusive choice, valued care workers, and service-driven advocacy at every level of leadership.
