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Tea shop hires people from Deaf community

Words by Smiley Team

When Marianne White made the decision to open her tea shop, she did it with others in mind.

As a wife, mother, and grandmother, she's an avid traveler – pre-pandemic, of course – and loves to learn about different cultures. This love led her to learn American Sign Language (ASL) and immerse herself in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community.

“In our travels, my family and I have had the opportunity to live in multiple states and out of the country," she says. "I believe this has really shaped who I am as a person and opened my eyes to the human experience from many different perspectives.

"I wanted to create a place that old friends can sit uninterrupted and chat or a place to meet new friends or play games or get inspiration for home décor or just make a quick stop on your way to work, whatever it is that you need I want this to be your place.”

[Read more: Social entrepreneur helps the deaf community]

When she embarked on her own business adventure, she set out to make Sweet Tea AZ, a family-owned and operated coffee and tea shop with unique gifts, a comfortable place for everyone. This journey allowed her to take a look into her exposure and realized there was a community that would benefit from her business.  

“All of our staff are fluent in American Sign Language so our deaf and hard of hearing community can come in and shop or enjoy a beverage or snack without language barriers," she says.

One customer review read: “Love it! A nice comfy place to relax and enjoy and a great delicious cup of tea. Deaf-friendly staff too. So good I got a second one to go!”

Along with her staff being fluent in ASL, many of her staff are individuals who are either deaf or hard of hearing. “Inclusion is important and I feel that this is a community that is often overlooked. I wanted to be a part of changing that and wanted to hire people who may have challenges finding work,” says White.

To learn more about Sweet Tea AZ, you can find them on Facebook.  

This article aligns with the following UN SDGs

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