It seems like there is a coffee shop on every corner these days, but Bitty & Beau’s Coffee – true to its slogan – is more than a cup of coffee. Serving up good brews with a side of positivity, the coffee shop is run by employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Founder Amy Wright opened the Charleston location – the second shop in what she envisions to be several around the country – last year, and her endeavor has earned her national press and even the 2017 CNN Hero of the Year award. Her youngest children, Bitty and Beau, have Down syndrome, and, in her speech accepting the award, she said to them, “I would not change you for the world, but I will change the world for you.” And she is – one cup of coffee at a time.

More than 80 percent of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States are unemployed. Doing what they can to change the world, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee now employs more than 80 people at its three locations, and, for many, it is the first job they’ve ever had. The hashtag #notbroken, used in their marketing, is a reminder that regardless of disabilities, people can and should be valued, accepted and included.

The coffee shop provides a place to put those ideas into motion, connecting and celebrating both diversity and community.

For Mount Pleasant resident Trista Kutcher, no moment, not even winning gold medals at the Special Olympics World Games in Ireland, is as exciting as dancing in front of cameras at a television taping in New York City.

By Gregory Yee gyee@postandcourier.com

Trista Kutcher is a busy woman. At 29 years old, she has already successfully worked six different jobs. At one point she was working three at once, simply because, as she says, “I love to work. I just love it so much” — until her mother encouraged her to reduce her schedule to two.

But what sets her apart from the typical, hardworking American employee? Trista was born with Down syndrome, a genetic condition that can pose substantial obstacles for people like her who wish to enter the workforce. According to a 2015 study, 57% of individuals with Down syndrome in the United States reported they were currently working a paid job. However, only 3% reported working a 31–40 hour week, or full time.

Written By: Voices for the Voiceless

Name: Trista Kutcher

Age: 33

Hobbies: hip hop dancing, cooking, working out

Favorite things about yourself:

I love to be a leader. I love to travel. I love to travel to give presentations. I would love to fly first class. I love to be the CEO of my company (Trista’s Sunshine Company) and to live on my own. I love to have my own place and house rules. I love to make my own schedule.

My dream is to have a house with a hot tub I can use every day.

Favorite color: pink and blue

We had the good fortune of connecting with Trista Kutcher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Trista, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
A few years ago I was at my local library and they have a room with sewing machines in it. I thought “that is so cool” and it remind me of my friend Craig Conover from Bravo’s Southern Charm show. Craig sews pillows. And it reminds me my grammy is really good at sewing too. So I think of a great idea that I can learn to sew and start my own company.