As part of their continuing efforts to advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the owners of local cafe Bitty & Beau’s Coffee recently attended and testified at a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing called, “Supporting Economic Stability and Self-Sufficiency as Americans with Disabilities and their Families Age.”
Ben Wright, who owns the coffee shop with his wife Amy, spoke about the importance of reducing the stigma that could prevent employers from hiring those with disabilities.
“People need a fresh perspective on this issue. They need to know and understand that people with intellectual or developmental disabilities are not broken,” Wright said at the hearing. “What is broken is the lens through which we view people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is a new lens, and it’s changing the way people see other people, offering a new perspective that once seen, cannot be unseen.”