Sign language is the primary way people communicate at this Oregon café, which provides a gathering place and jobs for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. There are “many different kinds of people from all different backgrounds. And the one thing we have in common is that we sign,” one customer said.
American Sign Language, or ASL, is the primary language at Woodstock Cafe in Portland, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Non-ASL speakers can use a microphone that transcribes their order onto a screen.
People have moved from across the country to work at the cafe because it can be hard for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to find jobs, Andre Gray, who helped open the café, told the news outlet in sign language.
“So the café becomes their stable place. It’s their rock,” he said.
The hearing spectrum among attendees is diverse, with deaf people signing with students taking introductory sign language classes and hard of hearing people reading lips and communicating with spoken word and hand signals.
An Oregon cafe that takes orders in sign language has become a cherished space for the Deaf community, providing a unique gathering place as well as employment for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
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