Wright opened Bitty & Beau’s Coffee in January 2016 and named the shop for two of her four children.
She was named 2017 CNN Hero of the Year for her efforts to advocate for disabled people. The award is determined by online voters who selected Wright from among the top 10 CNN Heroes finalists.
Wright will receive $100,000 to grow her cause. All of the top 10 CNN Heroes for 2017 will receive a $10,000 cash award. Donations made to each of their designated nonprofit organizations are also being matched up to $50,000.
“It is a very personal story for me,” Wright told Camerota. “When Beau was born 13 years ago, my husband Ben and I didn’t know anything about Down syndrome, and I reflect on that and the fear we felt and the grief we felt and how we transformed that into some of the greatest joy we’ve known in our lives.”
Wright and her husband were inspired to act on behalf of people with disabilities when they learned about the lack of opportunities within the population.
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