How A Second-Generation Combat Veteran Uses His Clothing Brand To Honor A Fallen Soldier And Inspire Personal Empowerment

Harrison Lewis is on a mission to empower Black youth and veterans through his GRND clothing brand.

From second-generation combat veteran to entrepreneur and soon-to-be physical therapist, Harrison Lewis is on a mission to inspire others to give life their all through his clothing brand, GRND.

After his dreams of becoming a pro athlete fell short, Lewis joined the military. His love for athletics never went away. As a child, he played sports and it followed him well into his adult years. Whether it was keeping up with the habit during his time in the services or now, as he completes his doctorate candidate to become a physical therapist, for him, ball is life and the grind to become the best version of himself never stops.

“GRND is more than a clothing brand, it’s an emotion we all feel, each and every day, as we sacrifice for your families, our communities, and our why, Lewis told BLACK ENTERPRISE via email. “Our mission is simple, to give 100% and then some, in all we do, not only on the field and in the gym, but also in life.”

Inspired by his late comrade, Captain Connor Bendarzyk, who was killed during a training incident in preparation for deployment while serving together in the 75th Ranger Regiment, Lewis says GRND is a way to encourage people to use losses to push them to go harder.

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“I think it’s important to carry the reflections of our loved ones forward and draw inspiration from the impact they have made on the world,” Lewis, a combat veteran, explains. The GRND collection currently features unisex t-shirts with motivational quotes like “Stand On It” and “100%.”

For Lewis, his desire to change things for the better is way greater than just taking up space in the athletic wear industry. GRND, he notes, is not just about clothes.

“It’s the feeling we all get when our alarm goes off at 5 a.m. and we know we have to get up and go get it for our family,” he says. “It’s why there isn’t an ‘I’ in GRND. We’ve never done the things we have to do for ourselves, because there’s always a greater reason for our efforts. Whether you are a nurse on a 13-hour shift, a soldier in the field preparing for a deployment, or an athlete trying to make the team, you are the GRND, and you know what it means to give 100% and then some.”

Lewis’ grind continues as he works toward his doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.

It is all part of his grander scheme to launch a state-of-the-art training facility to not only equip Black youth and veterans with access to strength and conditioning programs, but to provide those facing mental health illnesses with the support that they need to keep pressing forward. Lewis faced bouts of anxiety and depression after leaving the military.

“As a physical therapist, my dream is to treat young Black athletes who don’t have access to sports rehab,” he explained. “As a kid from a small town in Louisiana, when we got injured playing sports, we just rubbed some dirt on it. I want to provide critical and necessary access to care our youth need so they can continue to GRND towards their dreams.”

Lewis is on the last leg of his clinical rotations and has plans to earn his doctorate in May 2025.