Avery Roberts & Kelly Berger | CMD Advocacy Warriors

In this episode of 'Pushing Forward with Alycia,' host Alycia Anderson interviews Avery Roberts and Kelly Berger, two formidable advocates living with congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD). They discuss their journeys in advocacy, the challenges of living with CMD, and the significant role Medicaid plays in their lives. They also touch on the importance of disability representation in media and the arts, with Avery sharing her experience as the first wheelchair user to perform at Radio City Music Hall. Kelly discusses her passion for travel and mentorship within the disability community. The episode concludes with insights into the Cure CMD organization and the upcoming conference in Philadelphia, focusing on education, community, and research updates for congenital muscle diseases. Episode Flow & Milestones 00:00 Introduction to Pushing Forward with Alycia 00:47 Meet Our Inspiring Guests: Avery Roberts and Kelly Berger 02:15 The Heart of Advocacy: Personal Journeys 05:24 Understanding Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD) 08:17 Challenges and Triumphs in Advocacy 10:08 Breaking Barriers in Performance and Art 14:33 Travel and Adventure: Empowerment Through Exploration 17:20 Mentorship and Community Support 18:11 Cure CMD and Upcoming Conference 22:02 Final Thoughts and Motivation A Quote from Avery "In terms of people who are outside of the disability community, meet me outside of the box." A Quote from Kelly " Don't stop fighting. It's gonna be hard. It's not easy. Don't let anybody diminish your needs. Just don't stop fighting." Deep Dives from This Episode ✨ The Heart of Advocacy 🧬 Understanding CMD 🌍 Empowering Through Artistry and Travel 🌱 Mentorship and Community Building 🎉 Anticipation for the SIPAIM Conference 🛣️ Finding Your Own Path 🗣️ Raise Your Voice for Real Change 📦 Meet Me Outside of the Box: A Call for Inclusivity 🙏 The Strength in Asking for Help ⚡ Empowerment Defined: Your Disability, Your Rules 🎯 When Advocacy Meets Artistry: Unstoppable Actions Connect with Kelly Berger Kelly's: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Connect with Avery Roberts Avery's ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Follow Up with Alycia: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share Feedback with Alycia About the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alycia on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Alycia on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Book Alycia for a Speaking Event⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Inquire on How Alycia Can Train Your Employees in Disabling Ableism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy Alycia’s Disability Inclusion Micro Learning Video Series⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices