A pizza place with all deaf employees is pretty special. Because their pizza is so good.
PIZZA! Just hearing the word brings joy to masses of hungry humans the world over.
But when it comes to a slice of cheesy, saucy, carby divinity, smell and taste (not hearing) are the only senses that matter.
I made this T-shirt. That's how much I love pizza. Photo by Mital Patel, used with permission.
At one San Francisco pizza restaurant, that's the message: We can't hear you, but our pies are OFF THE CHAIN.
In 2011, deaf pizza enthusiasts Melody and Russ Stein opened Mozzeria, San Francisco's first and only deaf-owned and deaf-staffed restaurant.
Image via Small Business Revolution/Vimeo.
In an interview with Upworthy, Melody Stein shared why they decided to take a big chance by starting a business:
"Being Deaf, I thought it was a far-fetched dream, but thanks to a change of attitudes and laws, I felt I had the chance. We knew we could deal with businesses and government with more confidence and insist on our rights when needed. When my husband Russell said he would support me, I went for it!"
And so far, business is good.
Photo by Small Business Revolution, used with permission.
Since their start, Mozzeria has been honored with a "Recommended" rating by the prestigious Michelin Guide and a People's Choice Award from Food Truck Wars, a competition of mobile kitchens held each year in Orlando, Florida. And their Peking duck pizza has been recognized as one of San Francisco's best bites by Zagat.
Image via Small Business Revolution/Vimeo.
Why staff a business with up to 95% hearing customers with workers who are all deaf?
That wasn't always the plan, Melody said, but they came to realize it was their duty:
"When we first opened, we decided to hire some hearing and Deaf employees. ... Over time, I felt that we should be extending opportunities to Deaf people who otherwise experience obstacles in getting opportunities, training, or employment. We thought the time had come to go all-Deaf. We have never regretted this decision."
Image via Small Business Revolution/Vimeo.
It wasn't easy at first. Take phones, for example — not the most accessible tool for the deaf. Fast Company reported that in its early days, Mozzeria missed half of their phone calls because the technology wasn't quite there for a deaf-run business.
Color-coded LEDs tell Mozzeria staff when calls are incoming or missed. Photo by Mozzeria, used with permission.
But online reservation sites, deaf-friendly technology like LED phone signals, and call routing through a sign language interpretive service (which I tested, and save for a mild delay, it works great) are allowing Mozzeria to bring in more customers than ever.
Calls to Mozzeria are routed through a national call center, where sign language interpreters relay information to deaf staff members in real time. Image via Small Business Revolution/Vimeo.
Despite their unique backstory, Mozzeria's goals are basically the same as other small businesses.
They want to grow. The ever-present challenge to that, says Melody, is "figuring out ways to survive in tough competition and rising costs of doing business in the city."
All while deaf, of course.
"In our daily lives, we face double standards. We have to educate hearing people about how to work with Deaf ... and be patient with us. And this on top of running a business and staying competitive." — Melody Stein
San Francisco. Smothered in spendiness. Photo by Mital Patel, used with permission.
They manage by doing exactly what they set out to do: make damn good pizza.
"Our food is being recognized for its innovation," says Melody. "San Francisco is known for its diversity, and we want to offer a diverse and interesting food menu."
Hosui pear pizza. Photos by Mozzeria used with permission.
Peking duck pizza.
Opening Mozzeria made Melody a third-generation restauranteur, following in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents, who ran successful Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Her heritage is sewn into Mozzeria's menu with tasty cultural mash-ups like Hosui pear pizza and their aforementioned signature Peking duck pizza.
The best thing about Mozzeria isn't even their pizza — it's what they represent.
The Steins' story gained the attention of Small Business Revolution, a documentary film project that "celebrates the vibrancy, variety and community impact of small businesses across the country."
Image via Small Business Revolution/Vimeo.
Amanda Brinkman, chief brand and communications officer at Deluxe Corp., the creator of Small Business Revolution, told me why they selected Mozzeria:
“When we learned more about the work Mozzeria does, both as an acclaimed restaurant and a space for Deaf and hard-of-hearing employees to thrive, we knew we had to feature them. Their success ... is a testament to the quality of the food they make, their commitment to the community, and their supportive work environment. They're really redefining what it means to be successful entrepreneurs."
Too often, business success comes at the cost of humanity.
The Steins show not only that it doesn't have to, but also that disability doesn't have to be as limiting as we sometimes think.
Watch the video profile of Mozzeria by Small Business Revolution:
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."