No dream is easy to achieve. My grandparents were able to accomplish their American dream but never realized how their business would take over their lives. Was it worth it? My grandparents were immigrants from Mexico. They moved to the United States in 1977. They were living in Brooklyn, New York. In a small two-bedroom apartment with eight other people. My grandma’s younger brother, who was starting his business in Santa Fe, asked if they would be willing to move to Holland to help out. They took this chance knowing they would have to restart their lifestyle again.
The first step was getting a house. This newly built three-bedroom house had two full bathrooms. This house went above and beyond their standards. It was right across from where they would be working. They worked there for almost two years before they decided they wanted their own business. In 2002, they opened their new Mexican business and have owned Taqueria Azteca for over twenty-three years. This was the start of their biggest accomplishment but the beginning of their worst headache.
“I wanted a better future for myself and my kids. I knew I was capable of making it possible no matter how hard I had to work,” Emillia Rojano said. My grandparents have worked hard their entire lives. They came to the United States with nothing and had to learn to build their way up. “I wanted to prove to myself and see how far I could push my criteria in meeting my goal. I was the oldest out of my twelve siblings; I needed to find my purpose,” Martin Salazar said.
My grandma would be in charge of the grocery store that includes, personal care, vegetables, fresh meat, kitchenware, etc. My grandpa would control the restaurant area. He had to create the menu and learn how to make outstanding meals. “It was important to make sure our customers were satisfied and felt welcomed when they came in,” Rojano said.
“It was hard finding reliable workers. They would often just not come in or show up late. It was very stressful because I would have to find someone who would be able to fill in at the last minute or do it myself,” Rojano said. As I got older, I started to realize how often people would take advantage of my grandparents.
“Well, to get produce, we had to buy a semi-truck, which meant we needed to find a person who had their CDL license. We would need produce to come in every week. If there was something that ended up not working, we would have to quickly buy a new one. Renovation was always a headache: it needed to be done. We had to learn to work across it and deal with the customers as well,” Salazar said.
My aunt played a huge role in the family business. Anahali Salazar said, “I learned a lot from this particular experience. I had to start from the bottom and work to reach the top. I needed to learn how to run a cash register, how to program the scales in the back, the pricing of our produce and products, food service, and making sure everything was sanitary, inventory, margins, profits, and the list goes on. I have a degree in business management and know a little bit about accounting. My parents didn’t know enough English, so I would have to translate and reteach them.”
Even though she wasn’t the owner, she helped run the business; she took a lot of responsibility and helped her parents reach their dream. “Nothing will ever be perfect. I’m beyond thankful for how far we’ve come, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t points in time where I questioned whether it was worth it. Compromising around family and adjusting to having to be professional, meaning work is kept separate, isn’t always easy. I am always kept busy; there is always room for improvement,” Salazar said.
A lot of people who aren’t involved with a small community business overlook and don’t give enough credit to the ones who have worked so hard to reach their goals. It is a controversy every day. You never know how it will play out.
“I am my boss. I have the house I want. I built it exactly how I wanted my home to look. I can afford anything I need or want. I made it to where I have always dreamed of,” Rojano said.
Overall, the goal was to have something for the family to remember and continue the legacy. “I have completed my mission with the women I love. I can help my family whenever they need it. I can now retire in peace when I’m ready,” Salazar said.
It was all worth the nightmare that came with their American dream. They will never have to relive their past, and whey will be able to give their children what they couldn’t have.
