In this episode of 'Pushing Forward with Alycia,' host Alycia Anderson sits down with Izzy Grimmer, a remarkable high school student and disability advocate in honor of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. Izzy shares her inspiring journey, including her recent battle with cancer, her work establishing a disability advocacy and awareness week at her school, and her efforts with initiatives like Accommodate Me and Magical Bridge. As an advocate for intellectual developmental disabilities, autism, and all other disabilities, Izzy draws inspiration from her brother Eli, who is nonverbal. She discusses the challenges and privileges of living with disabilities, the importance of community and allyship, and how her experiences have fueled her passionate advocacy work. Tune in for a conversation filled with resilience, empathy, and actionable insights for becoming better allies to the disabled community.
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Pushing Forward with Alycia
00:25 Special Guest Introduction: Izzy Grimmer
01:40 Izzy's Advocacy Journey
03:44 Disability Advocacy Week
10:27 Creating Accommodations and Resources
15:27 Izzy's Cancer Journey and Resilience
24:10 Magical Bridge Partnership
28:56 Final Thoughts and Advice
A Quote from Izzy
“Ignorance is completely in your control. If you can take the steps to learn something and be a better ally, then you should do it a hundred percent.” ~ Isabella “Izzy” Grimmer
Standout Themes Explored
🌟 Empowering Disability Advocacy
💪 Overcome Adversity
🦋 Challenges Can Be Privileges
🌿 Embracing Stress as a Blessing
🎗️ Conquering Cancer as a Survivor
🧩 Building The Disability Advocacy Club
🔑 The Power of Access
🛡️ The Strength of Resilience
🤝 Community Connections & Partnerships
🌍 A Vision for Inclusive Societies
👣 A Role Model for All Generations
Support Izzy’s Causes
Unravel Pediatric Cancer | Magical Bridge Foundation | Accommodate Me Website | The Accommodate Me Instagram
Connect with Isabella “Izzy” Grimmer
LinkedIn Profile
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
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