WACO, Texas — When Valentina Martinez Caro told her old coworkers about her dreams of being a business owner in America, they laughed.
"I used to have four jobs before opening the restaurant in order to support myself and my family from Mexico," she said. "I'd work from six in the morning to 11 at night."
Eleven years later, she sat telling the story in her very own restaurant. A restaurant in the name of her daughter, Lupita.
"She passed away a few years ago, and it's in her memory, a way to honor her," Martinez said.
Martinez and her family immigrated from Mexico about a decade ago, seeking a better life. Today, you'll find much of her family waiting tables and serving up beloved food to loyal customers at Lupita's Restaurant and Bakery on 19th Street in Waco.
"Every day has a lot of challenges and difficulties," she said. "It hasn't been easy. But I thank the Lord for being able to stand up to those challenges—the pandemic and everything else."
Valentina's son, Armando Martinez, helps manage the restaurant. He remembers the loss of his older sister as the worst time of his family's lives.
"Both my mom and dad, when they were together in Mexico, they always had a full time job. [Lupita] was 12 years older than me. Pretty much, she was like my second mom." he explained.
Maybe it's the warm welcome when you open the door. Maybe it's the smell of the freshly made tortillas wafting through the building. But something about Lupita's Bakery and Restaurant feels like home.
Maybe that's why Valentina calls her customers her family.
“All of the people that come to Waco, Waco receives them with open arms. Waco is a place that doesn’t need anything from the bigger cities," she said. "We have everything."
Valentina and Armando wish Lupita could see how far the family has come.
"I know for sure if she were able to see it, she would be really honored," Armando said. "She would have a lot of pride in herself for what we could achieve together as a family."
