Some words are used so often their meaning is diminished \u2014 words like \u201cunimaginable,\u201d \u201cwar,\u201d or \u201camazing.\u201d Each is used with such a frequency, that it seems to water down what the word was originally intended to describe.<\/p>\n
A \u201chero\u201d is one of those words to me. A hero is a noble man or woman admired for their courage and outstanding achievement. Combine that with the coming close of another year, a time when many name their \u201cperson,\u201d \u201csportsperson,\u201d etc. of 2017. For CNN, they name a \u201cHero of the Year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead of selecting the person most in the news or making any statement with their selection, CNN annually honors a person who has made extraordinary contributions to humanitarian aid and\/or has made a huge, marked difference in their community. Meet this year\u2019s winner, Amy Wright.<\/p>\n
Amy\u2019s two youngest children have Down syndrome. In January of 2016 in Wilmington, North Carolina, Amy opened \u201cBitty & Beau’s Coffee,\u201d named for the two. The coffee shop employs 40 disabled workers.<\/em><\/p>\n “My children are not broken,” Wright insists. “When you become a parent of a child with special needs, you are instantly thrust into becoming an advocate \u2014 trying to make people see the beauty in their lives that we see.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s it; is it not?<\/p>\n When we look at a person with special needs, we often look at their life as something worse. We conclude in our heads somewhere that their quality of life is somehow lesser. We don\u2019t see beauty first.<\/p>\n Look at Iceland. CBS actually ran a report last August (addressed by the Intramuralist)<\/em> boasting how Iceland is close to \u201ceradicating Down syndrome.\u201d The \u201ceradication\u201d was due to prenatal testing and abortion.<\/p>\n No, we don\u2019t see beauty first.<\/p>\n As CNN said yesterday in their announcement, Wright \u201creframes how we view disability.\u201d<\/p>\n In CNN\u2019s tribute show, in fact, Wright spoke directly to Bitty and Beau, saying, “I would not change you for the world, but I will change the world for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Wright sees the beauty in her children first. She sees what they can do \u2014 not what they cannot She doesn\u2019t view their life as any lesser.<\/p>\n Wright elaborated with CNN host Alisyn Camerota:<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018It is a very personal story for me,\u2019 Wright told Camerota. \u2018When 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.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n 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.<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018You use a statistic: 70 percent of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities like Down syndrome, like cerebral palsy, like autism are not employed, and so what kind of life is that?\u2019 Camerota asked.<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018It’s not that the jobs aren’t there, it’s that people don’t value people with intellectual and developmental disabilities [IDD],\u2019 Wright said. \u2018And so, if we can reframe the way people think about people with IDD, then opportunities are organically going to follow.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Reframing how we think\u2026<\/p>\n Reframing how we view quality of life\u2026<\/p>\n Reframing how we see beauty\u2026<\/p>\n And\u2026<\/p>\n Reframing who actually is a hero.<\/p>\n Well deserved, Amy Wright. Well deserved.<\/p>\n Respectfully\u2026 Some words are used so often their meaning is diminished \u2014 words like \u201cunimaginable,\u201d \u201cwar,\u201d or \u201camazing.\u201d Each is used with such a frequency, that it seems to water down what the word was originally intended to describe. A \u201chero\u201d is one of those words to me. A hero is a noble man or woman … <\/p>\n
\nAR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"