Topeka’s Best: Carrie Greenwood

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Carrie Greenwood is a life-long Topekan who is going above and beyond to make a positive impact in the city.

“I’m definitely in Topeka, girl,” Greenwood said. “I’ve been here my entire life. It is home for me. Topeka is definitely for home for me. I’ve been here and done, you know, everything related to my leadership in this city. I love what I do. You know, being a person with a disability, I never expected to be working and volunteering, etc., in the disability field growing up.”

27 News sat down with Greenwood who said she doesn’t see her disability as an obstacle. Rather, she sees it as something that has become a part of her.

“When I tell my story and I present to people and things like that, I don’t really always talk about my disability as an obstacle, which makes I’m really weird, but I’ve had my disability my whole life and so it’s just kind of a part of who I am,” Greenwood said. “And, you know, I’ve learned to adjust to it and work with it.”

Carrie told 27 News she is grateful to have found not one, but two local organizations that she is passionate about.

“I think the my favorite part of what I do with both of the organizations that I’m a part of in Miss Wheelchair Kansas and KYEA (Kansas youth empowerment academy), is that I get to go to work or do my volunteer position and empower and encourage people like that is really, truly what both of those positions are all about, is helping people to find their voice, helping people to live a full life and know that they can be successful and they can be whoever they want to be,” Greenwood said. “So to get to go to work every day and do that is pretty awesome.”

She told us her favorite part about working with both organizations.

“My job and Miss Wheelchair Kansas really gives me the opportunity to to do that, to educate people, to break stereotypes, to make a difference,” Greenwood said. “And my my ultimate goal in life is to make a difference in this world. And so my job with Kay and my my position with Miss Military Kansas allows me to have an impact on this world in a positive way.”

Through Greenwood’s work, she has become a role model for girls with disabilities.

“I always feel like it’s such an honor for someone to see that I’m a role model and I, I love that. I mean, it is definitely a responsibility,” Greenwood said. “There’s an extra layer of impact when you get to look at someone and they look like you and they experience things the way that you do. And so for me to be able to, you know, to just really live my life and do all the things that I’ve done, but then be able to show other women and younger girls that they can be successful, too. It’s such an honor to be able to to serve in that position.”

Greenwood isn’t just impacting those in our city, she’s going above and beyond.

“I love being able to help young people become leaders. I love being able to work with women and girls with disabilities. And so, my passions are definitely in those areas and through the different organizations that I’m a part of I’ve really been able to, you know, use my leadership to bring that to people in our city, but also in our state as well.”

Greenwood told us what she hopes to accomplish as a woman with a disability.

“I think it’s so important for us to take that responsibility as people with disabilities to educate others about who we are and what we’re capable of,” Greenwood said.

Greenwood is an inspiration through her work and has big dreams to make changes in the world.

Topeka’s Best, sponsored by Noller Auto Group, Ford and Hyundai, is about honoring those in our community who go above and beyond for others. You can nominate people for Topeka’s Best by clicking here.

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