Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

People Are Moving Across The Country For THIS Cafe

Woodstock Cafe in Portland, Oregon has become a cherished gathering place and lifeline for the Deaf community by making American Sign Language the primary language for all customer interactions, with hearing customers using a microphone that transcribes their spoken orders onto a screen. The unique cafe is owned by CymaSpace, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making art accessible to the Deaf community, and has become such an important employment hub that people have moved from across the country to work there because finding jobs can be extremely difficult for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Andre Gray, who helped open the cafe, explained in sign language that the establishment has become a stable place and rock for Deaf employees who often struggle to find consistent work in a hearing dominated world. The cafe hosts weekly ASL meetups and game nights including the popular Sign Squad on Tuesdays, which draws an incredibly diverse crowd ranging from completely deaf people who communicate entirely through sign language to students taking introductory ASL classes to hard of hearing individuals who read lips and use various communication methods.

Amy Wachspress, who started learning sign language nine years ago as she lost her hearing and now classifies herself as hard of hearing, loves telling the story about a deaf toddler born to hearing parents who wanted him immersed in Deaf culture and brought him to the cafe for the first time. The little boy became beside himself with excitement when he realized that he could communicate with other people using sign language, a touching moment that moved everyone present and perfectly captures the kind of meaningful experiences that happen regularly at this special establishment. Gray revealed there were plans to acquire adjacent vacant buildings for a Deaf Equity Center to expand their mission, but much of the funding was unfortunately cut following a change in presidential administration, though CymaSpace hopes to secure funding from private organizations and future crowdsourcing campaigns. The cafe continues to serve as a powerful example of how creating spaces where Deaf culture is centered rather than accommodated can build community pride and eliminate the fear of signing that many Deaf people experience in hearing dominated environments.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/deaf-sign-language-cafe-asl-ab71931b9329abc5b1c82fa53bdfd6df

PrevPreviousUK’s Bold Ban Could Prevent 20,000 Obesity Cases
NextThe Historic Moon Mission That’s Just WEEKS AwayNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

The Phone Policy That’s Changing California Classrooms Forever

January 23, 2026

Governor Gavin Newsom signed groundbreaking legislation requiring every California school district, charter school, and county office of education to limit or prohibit smartphone use on campus by July 2026, marking a major victory for student mental health and academic success. The Phone-Free School Act responds to overwhelming research showing that

Read More
Happy News

The Cancer Survival Number That’s Making History

January 23, 2026

For the first time in history, seven in ten people now live at least five years after their cancer diagnosis, marking an extraordinary milestone that the American Cancer Society announced represents decades of progress in the fight against this devastating disease. The groundbreaking 70 percent five year survival rate stands

Read More
Happy News

What This Teacher Did For 61 Years Broke A World Record

January 23, 2026

Glenda Akin, 84, has officially been certified by Guinness World Records as the longest serving female teacher at the same school after dedicating 61 years and 43 days to Westmoreland High School in Tennessee, where she worked both as a classroom teacher and later as the school librarian. The remarkable

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.