User Spotlight: Garrison Redd

Hello everyone and welcome to our User Spotlight’s! We created these posts to help inform and inspire our followers and users. The goal is to highlight people who are working on something special, fun or unique. We plan to do a post every Sunday, so if you are interested in being featured or want to nominate someone to be featured, please reach out to us at [email protected] with the subject line,  “User Spotlight”.

Thanks and we hope you enjoy!

Garrison Redd: My Name is Garrison Redd, I’m 31 and I am a t-12 paraplegic incomplete. I use a wheelchair on a daily basis to get around I also drive and being from NYC, I  take the subway sometimes as well.

I am a TEDx Speaker, Team USA Para- powerlifter, model, dancer and most of all an advocate for disabled rights. I founded an organization called The Garrison Redd Project, with an essential goal of bettering the well-being of disabled individuals through a variety of methods. I provide resources and services in the areas of advice, motivation, inspiration, health, and many other areas in order to improve the quality of living for disabled individuals.

GR: My weekends consist of lifting weights and spending time with my girlfriend. Some of my hobbies are cycling, powerlifting, shopping, reading, and designing clothes.

GR: I like to travel and my favorite adventure I would say was going jet-skiing in Cancun Mexico. The staff was very accommodating and helpful. Even though the beach wasn’t the most accessible, we still made it work.

GR: The airlines, on flights more than 6 hours, there is no way for wheelchair users to access the bathroom. It’s dynamically impossible.

(Editors Note: I have experienced this issue quite frequently as well. I have recently learned that some airlines and flights will keep an aisle chair on board for you to transfer to and use the bathroom, upon request. I will say its probably best practice to get to the airport early and see if there is anyway they can make this accommodation for you, if they do not already.)

GR: I am really passionate about helping others.  Explaining my story to individuals who need motivation and inspiration that they can overcome anything in life. What brings me the most joy, is when individuals reach out to me to inform me that seeing my videos or hearing me speak changed their perspective on there life.