Changsha cafe brews unity, empathy

Amid the bustle of Changsha, capital of Hunan province, a coffee shop run by two baristas with hearing impairments and one volunteer is transforming the simple act of ordering coffee into an exercise in empathy and inclusion.

The cafe, called Sign Planet, was initiated by Wang Han, president of the Hunan Foundation for Disabled Persons and a well-known host from Hunan Television, along with his friends. It follows a collaborative business model in which the community provides the venue, social organizations offer training and social workers participate.

"If we wish for people with hearing disabilities in China to have equitable access to public cultural resources, everyone must consciously empathize with them," Wang said. "The first step is to make them visible — to allow more people to see their struggles and efforts, to witness their love for life, their aspirations for a better future, their desire for success, and their resilience to face challenges."

He added that for people with disabilities, true happiness comes from equal employment opportunities, learning and access to public cultural resources.

"Education and employment are the most important, because economic independence through employment leads to independence in many other aspects. That's why we believe creating employment opportunities is crucial," Wang said.

To support the effort, the organizers invited an international coffee competition judge from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to train the baristas for about a week.

The local community has also rallied around the project. Wang said the original monthly rent for the cafe was between 5,000 and 6,000 yuan ($700 to $840), but the landlord reduced it to 1,000 yuan in recognition of its mission to support employment for people with disabilities.

Wang noted that hearing-impaired youth are well-suited for such work, as they have full physical mobility, strong focus and learn quickly.

One of the baristas, Qu Yuxian, joined the shop after graduating from university through a college recommendation. Qu and her colleagues received training in coffee preparation and hand-brewing techniques, with sign language interpreters assisting.

At first, workers communicated with customers through handwritten notes, which proved inefficient during busy hours. Volunteers later began helping with operations, cleaning and learning basic sign language to ease communication.

Qu said she and her colleagues felt immense warmth and gained a sense of purpose in their work. She recalled moments when customers ordered an Americano or latte using sign language — encounters that inspired her to teach them a few simple gestures in return.

To attract more customers, the cafe hosts concerts every weekend, inviting people with disabilities to perform. The events have drawn large crowds and strengthened community engagement.

For Qu, the cafe is more than a workplace. It provides opportunities for the hearing impaired and promotes an inclusive environment. She also hopes to create cultural products that incorporate sign language elements to draw in more customers and promote sign language culture.

"I want to be a more professional and excellent barista. I even want to take part in barista competitions and show someone the ropes in the future," she said. "The coffee shop provides us with chances, and that's why we hope to grow with it."

Zhu Youfang contributed to this story.