Inspirational Leadership &

Commitment to the Community

I Don't Take No For An Answer.

My passion for making spaces more accessible and inclusive has led me to become a disability rights advocate, speaker, and SDSU sustainability graduate. Living with Cerebral Palsy has shaped how I move through the world and inspired me to challenge barriers, shift assumptions, and help people feel genuinely seen, welcomed, and included.

My path through college wasn’t easy or typical. I spent years balancing long public transit commutes, school, internships, and advocacy work while navigating challenges most people never think about. Those experiences deepened my passion for accessibility, sustainability, and creating better experiences in sports and entertainment spaces.

At SDSU, I worked with the San Diego Strike Force and the Strike Force Cares Foundation on accessibility, sustainability, and ADA efforts for stadiums and community spaces. I also helped recommend practical ways to make sports venues more accessible by combining lived experience with real-world solutions.

Today, I speak and consult with students, businesses, community groups, and sports organizations about disability awareness, accessibility, and self-advocacy. My goal is simple: start honest conversations, help organizations build more inclusive spaces, and empower people with disabilities to advocate for themselves with confidence.

"I believe accessibility is about more than compliance — it’s about dignity, opportunity, and belonging."

Defying expectations
since day one.

I’m Ricky German, and I was born with cerebral palsy after losing oxygen at birth. Doctors gave my parents a devastating outlook, but they refused to accept it. Their fight for me shaped everything that came after.

Growing up meant surgeries, therapy, and plenty of stubborn moments — including refusing hospital food unless it was McDonald’s. Learning to drive my power chair became my first real taste of independence, even if I occasionally ran into walls and people’s feet along the way.

That independence grew in college when I got my own apartment in Santee and started building life on my own terms.

I’m also a lifelong fan of the San Diego Padres and have had season tickets at Petco Park since 2004. Some of my best memories and strongest sense of community come from being there.

Living with a disability has shaped my resilience, perspective, and drive to help create a more accessible and inclusive world. People will always tell you what you can’t do. I’ve never been interested in listening.