Colorado Springs coffee shop hosts group for deaf and hard-of-hearing
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A Pikes Peak coffee shop is going above and beyond for a community that says, it often feels left out.
Caffeinated Cow, located on South 8th Street, is all about inclusion. That means the deaf and hard-of-hearing community too -- which has become a big part of the Caffeinated Cow business, and family.
"It's all about community, period," Caffeinated Cow owner Jake Norment says of the driving force behind his business.
So when longtime customer Julie Riddle asked if she and those in the deaf community, like herself, could use the coffee shop as a place to gather, Jake immediately said yes. Thus the group, American Sign Language (ASL) Cows, was formed.
"We feel very involved here and everyone treats us the same," Julie Riddle, founder of ASL Cows, says.
"They don't make us feel any different."
When the weather allows, Caffeinated Cows provides benches and blocks off part of the parking lot for ASL Cows to gather. There, the group can be socially distanced and remove their masks -- a problem the community has run into during COVID.
"Many of us don't feel comfortable going to a public place because everyone wears masks. We can't lip read them," Julie explains.
Julie says there aren't many businesses that cater to the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
"We want accessibility to be more effective than it was 20 years ago," she says.
"We want people to know that we're not afraid to communicate. And if we ask you to move your mask, it's only because we want to understand you."
Caffeinated Cow, jumping on board -- learning more about the deaf community and how to do right by them. The business wears and provides masks that allow you to see lips.
“Now we have a way to communicate," Jake says.
“If it’s set right, you should be able to read my lips.”
Julie is able to read lips and speak, but explains that not everyone in her community can. So she and ASL Cows are thankful for Jake and his business, helping them feel included.
"They make it...so much feeling of love,"
Julie does offer American Sign Language lessons. To learn more, click here.
