On September 13, DKU’s student-led initiative REACH (an acronym for Recycling, Economical, Activity, Community, Humanity) conducted its first collaboration with the university’s Never Mind Café. The event brought sign language education to campus as a bridge between DKU’s community and café staff. Organizers hoped to create a space where students could learn to connect with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals “not just through gestures of kindness, but through gestures of language.”
The workshop began with an introduction by Never Mind’s CEO, who explained the café’s mission of bridging communities through inclusive service. Founded as a “silent café”, Never Mind employs deaf and hearing-impaired staff to create a more communicatively inclusive space. Customers are encouraged to use sign language or write notes to communicate with staff. In China, where disability inclusion still faces stigma, Never Mind staff says the café stands out as small but powerful examples of how businesses can foster dignity and connection.
Guided by Never Mind staff, participants practiced greetings and daily expressions, including ”hello,” “goodbye,” “thank you,” and “sorry.” They moved on to coffee-specific vocabulary, picking up signs for “latte,” “Americano,” “oat milk,” and “soda water.” Finally, they learned how to express feelings like “happy” and “sad,” pairing facial expressions with hand movements. Some participants noted this was the first time they realized how rich and nuanced sign language could be, capturing not only words but feelings in motion.
Five students joined a deaf barista in a coffee brewing demonstration. Using beans sourced from Ethiopia’s Yirgacheffe region, participants learned the three-stage pour-over process: the delicate bloom, the steady extraction, and the final aromatic finish.
Xi Tian, the manager of the DKU branch of Never Mind Café, helped lead the workshop. While Tian is not deaf, she has been studying Henan’s regional sign language for the past several months to better support her staff. Tian has worked as a barista since 2018. She says she applied to work for Never Mind because she wanted to bring about social change while using her skills in a setting that mattered.
For Tian, DKU’s Never Mind branch has a special atmosphere. “The students and faculty here are more educated, empathetic, and willing to learn, which makes them different from the general public,” she explained.
Tian says the most meaningful part of her job is not just making coffee, but helping students and customers connect with her deaf colleagues. She sees herself as a kind of translator, not only of words, but of feelings. She emphasized that guiding people to understand how coffee is made while also helping them find a way to communicate across language barriers is “the most fulfilling part” of her work.
Tian was candid about the challenges the staff faces. She says she wishes more students understood that inclusivity takes time and patience. Due to the staff’s limited hearing, they often focus intently on what is right in front of them, rather than the whole space, and it is not always easy for them to engage in conversation.
“Even when students learn some sign language and try to communicate, staff can feel shy or embarrassed at first,” she explained. Still, she stressed that small gestures matter. A simple hello, a smile, or slowing down in conversation can make a big difference in helping someone feel comfortable.
REACH was formed as a 2025 Millennium Fellowship project, supported by the Campus Network of the United Nations. Their focus is on disability inclusion and sustainable development, rooted in the belief of “putting ideas into action.” Previously, before the establishment of the club, REACH members helped hold donation drives and flea markets in partnership with Sustainable DKU, giving new life to second-hand items that might otherwise go to waste. Last semester, they helped organize a “One-Day Manager” program with Chinese online charity clothing store Buy42, where students learn about sustainable consumption by stepping into the role of thrift shop managers. Their goal is to turn short-term experiences into long-term habits that foster a more inclusive and sustainable community.
