This March, I had the honor of traveling to Tulane University in New Orleans to deliver my professional development keynote, OWN IT: Embrace, Elevate & Empower, as part of a Women’s History Month event hosted in Weinmann Hall at Tulane Law School.
The event was a collaborative effort across several groups at Tulane who are deeply committed to accessibility, equity, and community:
- The Faculty and Staff Living with Disabilities Affinity Group
- The Newcomb Institute
- The Goldman Center for Student Accessibility
- The Veterans Faculty and Staff Affinity Group
Together they created a space where meaningful conversations about leadership, disability inclusion, and intersectionality could unfold.
Bringing the OWN IT Leadership Framework to Tulane
During the keynote, I shared my OWN IT leadership framework — Embrace, Elevate, Empower — inviting attendees to reflect on their own journeys and the stories that shape how they lead, connect, and show up in the world.
Through storytelling, lived experience, and a bit of humor, we explored how leadership begins with authenticity and the courage to stand fully in who we are.
The framework encourages us to:
Embrace
Our identities, lived experiences, and the unique paths that shape us.
Elevate
Our voices, perspectives, and leadership so they can influence meaningful change.
Empower
Others by creating environments where everyone has the opportunity to belong and thrive.
The conversation continued through a thoughtful and engaging question-and-answer session, where members of the Tulane community shared reflections and asked powerful questions about disability, leadership, and inclusion.
The energy in the room reminded me how transformative it can be when people gather with curiosity and a willingness to learn from one another.
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Traveling to New Orleans to Share the Message of Disability Inclusion
Like many speaking engagements, the journey started early.
Marty and I caught a 5:30 AM flight out of Sacramento (SMF) on March 10th and arrived in Louisiana early that afternoon. After grabbing the tram to the rental car, we made our way into New Orleans, a city we’ve now visited several times to share my message of disability inclusion and leadership.
After checking into the Q&C Hotel in the Central Business District, we spent some time rolling through the French Quarter, soaking in the vibrant culture and energy of the city before preparing for the next day’s keynote.
Connection Beyond the Keynote Stage
After the event at Tulane, Marty and I spent a little time unwinding at one of New Orleans’ most beautiful spaces — City Park — enjoying lunch on the patio at the Clubhouse surrounded by the park’s incredible grove of oak trees.
The afternoon also included the launch of another episode of my podcast, Pushing Forward with Alycia, featuring guest Lynsey Chediak.
We wrapped up the evening with dinner at one of our favorite New Orleans restaurants, Copper Vine, before heading back to the hotel to pack and prepare for another early morning flight home.
Life on the speaking circuit often moves quickly, but these moments of reflection along the way are always meaningful.
Why These Conversations Matter
What stays with me most after an event like this are the conversations that happen afterward.
Several audience members shared that the keynote shifted the way they think about disability, leadership, and how they will move through the world going forward.
Those moments remind me why I continue to travel across the country speaking about disability inclusion, leadership, and belonging.
When we come together with intention and curiosity, we create opportunities to challenge assumptions, expand perspectives, and build communities where everyone has a place.
And wherever I go, the message remains the same:
Own your story.
Elevate your voice.
Empower others along the way.
About Alycia Anderson
Alycia Anderson is an international TEDx motivational speaker, disability advocate, and leadership keynote speaker who helps organizations understand the power of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in the workplace and society.
Through her signature OWN IT framework — Embrace, Elevate, Empower — Alycia inspires audiences to leverage their lived experiences as leadership strengths and to create cultures where everyone belongs.