No one hires this girl with Down's syndrome, so she opens her own business!
Prejudices are difficult to defeat, but it is still a necessary battle because prejudices limit and poison the life of those who are subject to them.
The best way to defeat prejudice is to be guided by one's own dreams - and be capable of picturing a reality different from what one may come up against --- then arm oneself with patience and find the right allies.
This is exactly the strategy that Gabi Angelini has decided to use to overcome the prejudice against people, like her, with Down's syndrome and to realize her own dream.
Gabi Angelini is a 21-year-old girl who loves sports and has had a dream since she was a child, namely, of one day, opening her own restaurant.
For this reason, while still a high school student, she started looking for summer jobs that allowed her to start setting aside money to achieve her goal. This is how she came up against the harsh prejudice of people who think that people like her with Down's syndrome cannot work.
In fact, no one was willing to offer her a job, precisely because of her condition; a prejudice that limits the life of those affected by Down's syndrome more than the actual syndrome itself.
While suffering greatly from this situation, Gabi finally decided to react, refusing to resign herself to this unfair state of affairs.
Therefore, with the support of her mother, Mary, she has been endeavoring not only to achieve her own goal but to also ensure that her dream becomes an instrument of liberation or inspiration for others in her same condition.
Indeed, Gabi has decided to open a coffee shop in Raleigh, North Carolina, which will employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Not having the money to start an independent business, Gabi and Mary, therefore, have started a collaboration with another cafeteria that employs disabled employees, where Gabi's own special coffee blend is sold, "A Hug in a Mug", from her "Gabi's Grounds Coffee Shop".
In addition, Gabi participates in various local events with her own stand, where she sells not only coffee, but also t-shirts, stickers, mugs, and other gadgets from her future coffee shop; Gabi even makes coffee deliveries!
In between time, her mother, Mary manages Gabi's GoFundMe page, where they collect donations with which they can open their own shop. And thanks to the support of the Internet and their community, they have so far already raised over $50,000 of the $60,000 needed!
Now, Gabi is one step away from realizing her dream and already plans to hire her friends, as well as organize other activities at her coffee shop "From coffee and pastries to karaoke nights and dance parties, Gabi's coffee shop will be an inclusive place where everyone in the community can meet."
Yes, because when Gabi's coffee shop opens, it will realize not only her own dream but also those of many other people who daily fight against this incredibly unfair prejudice --- namely, that the disabled are not able to work --- and Gabi with the mere fact of her own existence and success, will be living proof of the truth ... that determination and solidarity ... make dreams possible.
