Starbucks sign language and deaf Oscars

Published by Editorial Staff at February 26, 2016

Every Friday we’ll feature the most buzzed about topics relating to the “hearing loss” community. Join us on social media or check in on the Hearing Like Me forum, and find out how our community is going viral!

A little effort to communicate with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing can go a long way. This week, a Starbucks’ barista’s actions to communicate with her deaf customer went viral, after the regular customer posted about this experience on Facebook.

According to Ibby Piracha’s Facebook post, the barista learned and used sign language with him to ask him what he would like.

What this @Starbucks barista did to communicate with her #deaf customer will melt your heart https://t.co/z3rt0vZLsB pic.twitter.com/ejc3qRDBcv
— Phonak – Life is On (@phonak) February 23, 2016

Oh, I gotta love this place. Starbucks woman cashier, she wrote it to me and she knew I am deaf. I am surprised she…
Posted by Ibby Piracha on Friday, February 19, 2016

The 88th Academy Awards , or “Oscars,” are on Sunday, and there is already lots of talk of nominee diversity (or the lack there of). Actress Marlee Matlin, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Children of a Lesser God, and is both the only deaf performer to win the award, and, at 21, the youngest to date, is encouraging people to speak out against the lack of deaf and disabled actors in Hollywood.

Thank you @independent. I’m an Oscar winner yet where is #Hollywooddiversity when talking Deaf & disabled actors? https://t.co/a8WTdkS3Kh
— Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) February 25, 2016

Around 35 million people in the U.S. have some level of hearing loss, so it’s not surprising to find celebrities among them. Here are 10+ Celebrities with Hearing Loss. Do you know of any others? Let us know in the comments!