Bitty & Beau’s
The other morning I was going through my typical routine when a tragedy occurred. Well, not an actual tragedy, but an incident that upset my morning and hurt my heart a little bit. I think it is well established by now that I not only like coffee, but I could be classified as a fanatic. That being said, my morning routine consistently includes walking half asleep to the coffee bar hand built by my grandfather, boiling water in the electric kettle, scooping freshly ground coffee grinds into a insulated french press, and picking out a mug from my lovely collection that tests the limits of said coffee bar. Each mug has a story associated with it from traveling, so there isn’t necessarily a favorite as much as certain preferences. We’re talking a collection that’s over 40 mugs strong. As I went to grab one of the tried and true diner style mugs from Charleston my hand hit the top of the coffee bar, and I lost my grip. The shattering sound heard was not only from the mug, but a little piece of my soul as it busted on the vinyl faux hardwood flooring.
This beloved mug (that defied physics in how the handle was perfectly broken off with no shards) was not only from a unique girl’s trip in 2021, but it also represented a human rights movement disguised as a coffee shop. While finishing up our second year of graduate school and still navigating the status of a post-Covid world, my friend Alex and I were desperate to leave town for a few days. We ended up booking a road trip just the two of us to Folly Beach and Charleston for some sun, sand, and time to actually read for fun. After having a much needed beach day, we headed into Charleston for some historic tours and sightseeing. Alex had mentioned that she wanted to stop at a coffee shop catty-cornered to the Charleston City Market. As soon as I walked in the doors, I was in love with Bitty & Beau’s.
The infamous Charleston girls trip in May of 2021 was the first time I was introduced to Bitty & Beaus.
Bitty & Beau’s was started by the Wright family in 2016 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Out of their four children, one is diagnosed with Autism and two are diagnosed with Down Syndrome. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 79% of Americans with disabilities over the age of sixteen are unemployed. This staggering statistic was something this family wanted to change, thus the coffee shop was born. The coffee shop has grown into a chain with approximately 24 locations either open or in the works along with several hundred employees. A few locations noted that are opening soon include Nashville and Knoxville, Tennessee.
As someone who is in the medical field, who deals with patients with multiple disabilities daily, I have found that many underestimate and under-respect individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While I was in college at the University of Tennessee, I was able to learn from this population of people first hand from a class that was part of my degree. Instead of a typical lecture hall filled with hundreds of students, we worked with a program called FUTURE two to three times partnering with a student who had intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Part of the class responsibilities included accompanying the students to classes, helping with study hall, and, my personal favorite, Fun Friday field trips. I am not exaggerating when I say this was my favorite class by a wide margin.
One of my favorite Fun Fridays with the FUTURE students was going to the Knoxville Zoo. These Friday outings game the students opportunities to explore new hobbies and passions that could lead them to potential job opportunities.
During the few years I was able to be part of the FUTURE program, I met some amazing individuals who were talented in music, communication, and literature- just to name a few. Each student might have setbacks in some areas, but excelled in others. It was a privilege to be a bystander as I watched students light up at their first piano performance, working their first job at Subway on campus, become absolutely elated baking homemade bread, and even joining sororities. These types of experiences shouldn’t be limited to a couple of years on a college campus for a few people. People with disabilities have plenty to offer to this world, and that is why an opportunity at Bitty & Beau’s is more than just a cup of coffee.
Seeing the advertisements for Bitty & Beau’s reminds me of the FUTURE students that I cared for so much during college. I am hoping someday to see people like my FUTURE students on advertisements that expand outside the realms of coffee. It would be fantastic to see not only inclusivity, but integration into a variety of workplaces with equal pay. Until then, I will keep visiting Bitty & Beau’s (and going online to buy a new mug to replace the broken one) knowing that my money is not just going towards my brown sugar oat milk latte, but a movement to better the lives of all human beings.