Deaf youth in Jamaica combine entrepreneurial skills with a cause, crafting coffee with intent
Deaf Can! Coffee: Empowering Deaf Youth in Jamaica
Deaf Can! Coffee, a social enterprise based in Kingston, Jamaica, is making waves by providing training and employment opportunities for deaf youth as baristas. The enterprise, which officially opened on March 17, 2015, is located on the campus of the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf and aims to create a collective, healthy, and supportive culture.
The inspiration for Deaf Can! Coffee came from a visit to the village of Top Hill in St. Elizabeth, where they met deaf farmer Evelyn Clarke. Her story served as a catalyst for the creation of this unique social enterprise. Today, Deaf Can! Coffee serves coffee at meetings, expos, and commercial events, but does not have a "drop in" cafe open to the public. However, this is set to change in the near future, as the enterprise plans to branch out to a cafe menu, complete with an oven for baking and a salad bar stand.
The headquarters of Deaf Can! Coffee is a bright and airy space, with large windows allowing plenty of natural light. The beautiful blue mahoe wood counter was made by residents at the Jamaica Deaf Village. The logo of Deaf Can! Coffee represents the Jamaican Sign Language expression for coffee.
Deaf Can! Coffee's manager and head barista, Carlyle Gabbidon, originally trained as a tiler. He, along with co-founder Blake Widmer, has expressed feelings of being hurt by labels used for deaf people in Jamaica. The enterprise is committed to empowering deaf youth, helping them to build confidence, skills, and self-acceptance through coffee-making.
The enterprise has also received funding for solar energy power from Digicel Foundation, and their dynamic website was designed by Kemoy Campbell, an alumnus of the school and tech entrepreneur. Campbell will be visiting in the summer for an internship to design a "self-order kiosk."
In terms of partnerships, while specific collaborators are not detailed, the social enterprise has drawn community and visitor engagement, such as hosting teams from hotels and other stakeholders. This suggests networking with local businesses and possibly the hospitality sector. Additionally, similar social enterprises supporting deaf communities internationally, like “Deaf Spotlight” in the US, indicate a growing interest in socially responsible brands involving deaf empowerment in the coffee industry.
For up-to-date partnership information or involvement, checking Deaf Can! Coffee's official Instagram or reaching out directly would be the best next step. Recently, Deaf Can! Coffee has partnered with Sidecar Coffee, and they had their grand opening on March 19, 2015, and opened their new, fully equipped training facility a year later, also funded by Digicel Foundation.
Deaf Can! Coffee is more than just a coffee shop; it's a movement towards a more inclusive and tolerant society. By supporting Deaf Can! Coffee, you're not just enjoying a great cup of coffee, but also contributing to the empowerment of deaf youth in Jamaica.
- Deaf Can! Coffee aims to foster personal growth and social-media engagement by frequently updating their official Instagram account to share news, partnerships, and events related to their mission of empowering deaf youth.
- As part of their commitment to education and self-development, Deaf Can! Coffee's manager, Carlyle Gabbidon, and co-founder Blake Widmer, plan to collaborate with tech entrepreneur Kemoy Campbell on a self-order kiosk project this summer, enhancing the accessibility of their services.
- In the realm of entertainment and food-and-drink, Deaf Can! Coffee, in partnership with Sidecar Coffee, serves coffee at meetings, expos, and commercial events, and is set to expand its offerings to a café menu, including an oven for baking and a salad bar stand, creating an inclusive space for all to enjoy.
