Disability Pride, Digital Accessibility & the Power of “Why Not Me?” with Jessica Lopez

Host Alycia Anderson welcomes Jessica Lopez, a disability rights advocate, keynote speaker, marketing strategist, and digital accessibility consultant working at the intersection of inclusive marketing, brand strategy, disability inclusion, accessible technology, and corporate accessibility. A recent Arizona State University graduate and Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholar, Jessica brings lived experience, business insight, and bold advocacy to conversations about accessible education, disability pride, inclusive hiring, digital accessibility, SEO, workplace inclusion, and why building accessibility from the start creates stronger brands, better customer experiences, and measurable business impact.  Jessica shares her lived experience as a woman born without hands and feet, a hearing aid user, and someone who later developed a chronic illness that changed the course of her education. From growing up in performing arts school, riding horses through adaptive recreation, and learning confidence on stage, to navigating inaccessible education systems and eventually graduating after gaining access to online learning, Jessica’s story is a powerful reminder that disabled people are not limited by their bodies, but by systems that fail to adapt. In this episode, Alycia and Jessica explore disability pride, accessible education, corporate inclusion, digital accessibility, inclusive marketing, career confidence, the ROI of accessibility, and what happens when companies stop assuming and start asking disabled people what they need. Confidence, Access, Advocacy, and “Why Not Me?”: The Big Takeaways from Jessica Lopez ♿ Disability identity, pride, and being born without hands and feet 🎤 Performing arts, confidence, and learning to take up space 🐎 Adaptive horseback riding as freedom, movement, and possibility 🦻 Navigating hearing loss, hearing aids, and visible disability 🏫 Inclusive education, school accommodations, and the power of the right support 💻 Online learning as accessibility, not convenience ⚖️ Systemic barriers in education and why access changes life trajectories 🌎 Travel, fellowships, and expanding what disabled ambition can look like 💼 Disability rights advocacy as a career path 🏢 Corporate accessibility, inclusive hiring, and leadership representation📲 Digital accessibility, accessible websites, alt text, SEO, and ROI 📣 Inclusive marketing and why disability must be built into brand strategy 👗 Accessible fashion, style, independence, and showing up polished 💛 Confidence for young disabled women chasing big dreams ✨ “Why not me?” as a mindset for opportunities, scholarships, speaking, and leadership 📈 Accessibility as a business advantage, not an extra cost 🤝 The power of asking disabled people directly what works for them Unforgettable Quotes from Jessica Lopez “My body was not the reason why I wasn’t able to do the things that I was hoping to do. It was really a result of a systemic barrier.” ~ Jessica Lopez “I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. All of my limbs are the way they are.” ~ Jessica Lopez “Accessibility is a bunch of small practices and small little things, and they add up to a massive turnaround on a big scale.” ~ Jessica Lopez Where to Listen: Jessica Lopez’s Most Powerful Moments 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Meet Jessica Lopez 02:55 Horses And Freedom 06:44 Born Different Early Life 07:43 Performing Arts Confidence 13:00 Aides And Accommodations 14:16 Prosthetics And Identity 16:35 Chronic Illness School Barriers 19:53 Disability Pride Keynote Invite 21:34 Advocacy Career Path 23:31 How Corporations Can Partner 26:35 Accessibility ROI In Marketing 29:25 Style And Stage Presence 31:19 Advice Why Not Me 35:16 Accessibility In 2026 37:23 Pushing Forward Moment 38:27 Closing Thanks And Subscribe Connect with Jessica Lopez 🌐 Website: https://jessical.me 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realjessl 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realjessl 𝕏  Twitter/X: https://x.com/RealJessL 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealJessL  Connect with Alycia 🌐 Website: https://alyciaanderson.com/ 🎙️ Podcast: https://alyciaanderson.com/podcast 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyciaanderson/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyciaanderson/ About Pushing Forward with Alycia Pushing Forward with Alycia gives disability a voice through conversations about accessibility, inclusion, ambition, resilience, leadership, and creating a more inclusive world for all people. Subscribe, like, and share to help push the conversation forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices