JoJo Wright

JoJo Wright

JoJo Wright is on your radio everyday, tune in! Full Bio

 

Starbucks to Open Sign Language Branch With Deaf Employees

Starbucks announced that they are planning to open a branch in Washington D.C. where EVERY employee is proficient in American Sign Language. 

Washington D.C. is home to Gallaudet University, the world's only liberal arts institution of higher learning for the deaf. 

The branch will be at 6th and H streets, close to Gallaudet’s campus, and is due to open in October 2018.

In a news release, the coffee mega-chain announced that their “Signing Store” will hire at least 20 deaf and hard-of-hearing employees and that all hearing partners working there will be required to become fluent in ASL.

Rossann Williams, Starbucks executive vice president of U.S. retail, said in a statement that “This is a historic moment in Starbucks’ ongoing journey to connect with the deaf and hard of hearing community, hire and engage deaf and hard of hearing partners, and continue to find ways to be more inclusive, accessible and welcoming to all."

The Signing Store will be the very first of its kind in the U.S., but Starbucks has worked previously to provide for the deaf community in a Malaysian outpost staffed by deaf baristas that opened in 2016. This outpost is famous for featuring wall art that has the word “Starbucks” spelled out in American Sign Language.

Apart from providing jobs for the deaf community, the new Starbucks will feature art by deaf and hard-of-hearing artists as well as have events for the local deaf community. 

The store will be designed using a ground-breaking deaf-centric architecture technique created by Gallaudet called Deaf Space with surfaces with matte finishes for minimum glare, bright lighting, and floors that reduce excessive vibration.

Starbucks’ store will be leading the trend to serve the community and they hope it will encourage other businesses around Gallaudet to have employees learn basic ASL to better serve customers.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content