Jessica Lopez
Disability Inclusion Leader
Speaker
Consultant
Leader
What I Do
Born without hands and feet, my lived experience as a disabled woman informs my advocacy for more inclusive and accessible education and workforces. I'm on a mission to interrupt the narratives we are often led to believe about people with disabilities in order to make the world more equitable.
About Me
Jessica Lopez is an advocate and full-time student at the W.P. Carey School of Business, at Arizona State University. She previously studied as a triple-major student in Business, Economics, and Communication at Coastline College. Drawing on her lived experience as a woman born without hands and feet, she advocates for inclusive and accessible education and workforces. In addition to her academic pursuits, she is student leader and works within the disability policy sector.Jessica previously served as a 2023 AAPD intern at the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). As a Policy Advisor Intern at ODEP, Jessica conducted policy research and promotes policies to increase disability inclusion in the workforce. Alongside her internship, she is Corporate Training Consultant for the Center for Disability Inclusion and works with companies interested in building disability-inclusive initiatives. Beyond her current roles, Jessica contributed as a Disability Inclusion Communication Specialist, collaborating with Richard Pimental and Milt Wright & Associates to update the Windmills training program. Previously, she was Social Media Manager and Partnerships Coordinator at Diversability, where she worked to elevate the disability community and change the way people view disability. Jessica's journey also includes an internship in marketing at Alation, a notable Silicon Valley tech company.As President of Coastline Associated Student Government, Jessica authored and championed a Disability Inclusion Resolution passed at the state level. Jessica's resolution advocates for increased disability cultural initiatives, equity and accessibility training, and institutional support for students with disabilities. The resolution is currently shaping policies within the California Community College System for 2 million students. Additionally, Jessica served as Treasurer of Region VIII of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC), a nonprofit student organization recognized by California law to represent 2 million students in state legislative advocacy. Through her work with the SSCCC, Jessica advocated for marginalized students in the education system, and led student efforts to campaign for disability rights. Her dedication to advocacy also led her to the California State Capitol, where she engaged with legislators to advocate for more accessible education.Jessica was recently selected as a 2023-2024 Coelho Law Fellow at LMU Loyola Law School. The Coelho Fellowship is a competitive program for disabled students interested in law school, with the goal of increasing disabled representation in the legal profession. Participants participate in a year-long program consisting of a vigorous academic law course and a capstone advocacy project. Jessica also was honored with the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service. The Voyager Scholarship is a $50,000 scholarship administered by the Obama Foundation and aimed at supporting students pursuing careers in public service by providing access to travel and education.Alongside her academics and leadership, Jessica is active in the corporate world, consulting on accessibility and disability-inclusive DEI strategy. With experiences spanning public policy, government, social enterprises, B2B tech, nonprofits, and public institutions, she works to interrupt the narratives we frequently believe about people with disabilities to make the world more equitable.
Speaking Engagements
Publicity
Portfolio
Highlights
Key creations that exemplify my work.
The History of Disabled People
by Jessica Lopez and Eric Prince
From ugly laws, to eugenics, to the ADA, this an article on the rarely told history of disabled people.
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Student Experience and Universal Design
Fall 2022
Presented to the California Virtual Campus, this presentation demonstrates why online education is important and how teachers can deliver instruction for the next generation of students with and without disabilities.
Coastline ASG Disability Inclusion Resolution
Spring 2022
This presentation gives an overview of the resolution I spearheaded as Vice President of Coastline Associated Student Government for greater accessible education.
Presentations
Payan v. LACCD case brief
Spring 2022
An overview of this landmark case to present actions that can be taken to advocate for disabled students.
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The SSCCC
Fall 2021
The background, history, and purpose of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC), and the role of student delegates in the legislative process.
Articles
My Adventure as an Intern at Alation
by Jessica Lopez
When I discovered Alation's internship program, I only knew two things. I loved learning and storytelling. This is the story of my 12 weeks at Alation.
How Simplify helped Jessica land her first internship!
by Jessica Lopez and Michael Yan
Sit down with Jessica Lopez to talk about her experience using Simplify this past year!
Social Media
@RealJessL
As a disability advocate, my most powerful audience lies within LinkedIn.
@Diversability
As former social media manager for Diversability, I spent a year developing the social media content and investing in the community.
Instagram Guides
TikTok
132,000+ likes
658,000+ views
* As of February 2022
Collaborate with me!
Let's work together!
Hire me as a speaker
Having spoken in front of over 800 people, I've developed presentations covering disability inclusion, accessible education, and issues currently impacting the disability community. I'd love to partner with you to tailor a message for your needs that center disability perspectives.
Partner with me
With a reach of over 1 million in 2022 on LinkedIn, I've developed a strategy to reach audiences on technologies and programs, reaching over 20,000 people per post. I'd love to collaborate with you on a potential partnership.
Consulting & thought partnership
Accessibility is vital, but difficult to manage without integration into the disability community. I can help you develop and execute an inclusion or accessibility plan that suits your organization's needs. Possibilities include a disability-inclusive DEI plan, developing a custom workshop, or something else you have in mind.