Kay has had a packed holiday season so far! On Saturday, December 9th, Kay got to see Santa again! My parents and I took Kay to a local coffee shop called Dig It! Coffee Co.
I first learned about Dig It when Kay was a year old. I can’t recall exactly how I discovered it, but when I heard about the amazing coffee shop that Dig It! is, I was sold. I knew Kay and I had to check it out! The founder and CEO, Taylor, opened this shop in inspiration of her younger sister Lindsey, who has Down Syndrome. Taylor realized that there are not enough places available that provide equal employment opportunities for those with different abilities. So, with those thoughts and her sister Lindsey in mind, she opened Dig It!
I remember when Kay was a year old; I was at Dig It with a friend whose daughter also has Down Syndrome. Dig It has a vibe like no other! They have cool spots to snap a picture while visiting the coffee shop! While I was enjoying the delicious coffee and taking pictures of Kay in all the cool places, Taylor approached me. She mentioned that the news would be showing up shortly to do a story about the coffee shop and asked if I would be willing to be interviewed. I had never been on TV before, nor had I ever really spoken in front of a big crowd or spoken about anything of such importance. I sat there for a second, realizing I was not prepared for a TV interview (hair was a mess, makeup wasn’t done), but agreed to be interviewed. Everything I do, I do with Kay’s best interest in mind. If me being interviewed and being able to tell our community why I love Dig It and what it means to me as a mother with a special needs child can bring more awareness and business to this amazing place, then I’ll do it. So, I was interviewed. I explained what having a place like this means for me and the hopes it brings me, knowing that my daughter could one day work here and be treated as an equal.
Dig It enjoys bringing the community together by having different events from time to time. For the month of December, they offer hot cocoa, donuts, and a polaroid picture with Santa! Santa and the entire staff at Dig It! are warm and welcoming. My dream as Kay’s mom is that every community, every state, even every city, will eventually have a place as cool and inclusive as Dig It! to provide equal employment opportunities to those who aren’t currently getting that opportunity.
You can check them out on Facebook and Instagram to see more of what Dig It! is all about (and why I enjoy it so much)! Dig It! lives by their motto, “Coffee, kindness, and inclusion!”