KEYNOTE

SPEAKER

TEDx Speaker

Editor’s Choice

“What not to say to someone with chronic illness”

➾

What audiences experience

  • A person standing with their hand on their chest, wearing sunglasses, a patterned short-sleeved shirt, and multiple bracelets and rings, on a dark background.

    Relatability and Authenticity

    Stories that make systemic issues personal and felt.

    Vulnerability and real lived experiences.

    Learnings and practices woven together from disability, queer, and racial justice movements.

  • A performer standing on stage with a microphone, wearing an orange jumpsuit, sunglasses, and a cap, next to a stool and a microphone stand, addressing an audience.

    From Theory to Practice

    Spending over a decade in academia has made me the least academic speaker.

    Sharing academic knowledge in an accessible and interactive way.

    Linking untold histories to present day experiences.

  • A woman with short hair wearing a green and black patterned jumpsuit on stage, smiling and raising her hands, with an audience in front of her.

    Interactive Keynotes and Workshops

    Unpacking ableism, racism, transphobia and more.

    Practices for building bridges across and between disabled and non-disabled communities.

    Keynotes tailored to needs and themes leaving audiences with real life tools.

My Grandma’s Threads

What if creativity isn’t something we find but something passed down through us?

I share the story of discovering my grandmother’s hidden creativity, an artist I never knew existed because illness erased her from the world’s memory. Her art, woven into her wheelchair, became a legacy of resilience and imagination that now lives through me.

Facilitating the Energetics

I guide a grounding practice—what I call a landing—and explore how our presence shapes connection, leadership, and the spaces we hold. Together, we reflect on what supports us in the moment and practice small, repeatable ways to build energetic presence.

When we inhabit ourselves more fully, we shift not only how we feel but also how others experience us.

Disability Demands Innovation

Together, we explore how disabled people are some of the most creative problem-solvers. Because when the world isn’t built for you, you have to redesign it.

Using my lens as a disabled, queer, neurodivergent person, I share insights on spotting energy drains, maximizing efficiency, and rethinking systems for better productivity and impact.

Keynotes

  • Queer, disabled, and racialized bodies have long been criminalized, erased, and pathologized. This keynote connects past to present, revealing how these intersecting timelines shape the world we live in and how we might rewrite them together.

  • Every barrier is an invitation to innovate. Centering disabled perspectives doesn’t just fix broken systems—it transforms them entirely. This talk reveals how disabled wisdom holds the keys to more creative, inclusive, and sustainable futures.

  • What does it look like to live as if we need each other? This keynote moves from theory to practice, exploring how interdependence shows up in real relationships and daily life. Through personal storytelling, it reveals what it means to build and sustain care webs (mutual aid networks).

  • Disabled people often create in unconventional, deeply adaptive ways. In this experiential keynote, you’ll explore how disabled artists transform limits into magic. This talk celebrates the artistry that emerges through interdependence—and invites you to taste that creativity yourself through interactive, accessible creativity practices.

  • Conflict isn’t failure—it’s information. This keynote explores how we can navigate difference with care, curiosity, and accountability. Leave with tangible tools for building resilient, connected relationships through rupture and repair.

Book Xander