Zhang Lingyun works at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, March 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
CHONGQING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Lingyun is a hearing-impaired barista at a coffee shop in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. She joined a barista training program for the hearing-impaired and got the barista certificate two years ago. Currently, together with five other hearing-impaired colleagues, she works at a coffee shop named "Yijiao Cafe". It is one of two branches with the same name, which translates as "One Corner Cafe".
For many people, the taste of coffee is rather ordinary, while for others it seems sour or bitter. But for hearing-impaired barista Zhang and her peers, coffee presents a rich and pleasing variety of taste experiences. To some extent, this reflects Zhang's life experience, with the bitterness of losing her hearing giving way to something more positive, thanks to her new career.
Zhu Jiayun, head of a charity for people with disabilities in Chongqing's Yuzhong District and also the founder of "Yijiao Cafe", hopes that Yijiao Cafe is more than just a coffee shop, but can also serve as a model space, where the able-bodied and those with developmental disabilities like Zhang can make coffee, drink coffee, or live and work together.
Zhang Lingyun communicates with guests through an electric blackboard at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
Zhang Lingyun makes coffee at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Qianlei)
Zhang Lingyun (1st L) works at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, March 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
Zhang Lingyun makes coffee at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
Zhang Lingyun (L) communicates with guests through sign language at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
Zhang Lingyun (R) communicates with her colleague at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
Zhang Lingyun works at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
Guests taste coffee at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
This photo taken on March 29, 2023 shows a signboard reminding guests that staff are hearing-impaired employees at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
Zhang Lingyun (C) serves coffee for customers at Yijiao Cafe located at Songshan General Hospital, Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)■
