Originally published in the Autumn 2021 edition of the Virginia Defender, issue 66, printed October 25. Reproduced here for accessibility and archival purposes. For other stories in this issue or to see the full PDF, see the Autumn 2021 post here. For the full web catalog, see our Full Issues page.

Editor’s note: Martín González was just 18 when he made the difficult journey from his home in Mexico City to Richmond. One of 14 children, he was leaving behind a life of poverty to try and find a new life in El Norte.

Today, Mr. González and his partner, Monica Chavez, run one of the most unique Mexican restaurants in the Richmond region: La Milpa. Located just south of Richmond at 6925 Hull Street Road in a small shopping center, the combination restaurant-grocery-market also offers a bakery, catering service, lunch van, food truck and a garden that grows fresh produce for the kitchen. But more than anything else, La Milpa offers a sense of community to everyone who enters its doors.

Meet Martín González, the founder and co-owner of La Milpa.

When I got here, my first goal was to learn the language. Then, after six years, I got my GED, then went to community college and prepared for a four-year school. I wanted to go to VCU. When you’re young, you can dream.

And at the same time, I was working at Mexico Restaurant on Horsepen Road, one of the first Tex-Mex restaurants in Richmond. I learned how to wait tables. I attended events in the city of Richmond, in Chesterfield, and learned how people make businesses, selling fruits, crafts, anything. So that got my attention. I said, I think I know how to do some of the things people do here, so I got in my mind to start a Latino store in the West End area, behind the Mexico Restaurant.

We had the best business running in that small place, just 1,200 square feet. It was called Mexico Mini-Market. We had groceries and a kitchen so we could make meals to go. And it was a successful business for a long time. We started in 1995. It was something good for the community. Everyone came there, because there were no other stores like that available.

That was the first of Mr. González’ business ventures, started as partnerships with other Latinos. Next came Mexico Mini-Market II, on what then was called Jefferson Davis Highway. And finally, in 2000, La Milpa, which is his sole business now.

At La Milpa, we used to have just a few tables, and groceries. Like with every business, you start slow, start using your skills, meeting the customers. You learn from the last business and bring it here.

I started bringing lunch boxes to the construction sites and spreading the word about La Milpa. We used to meet workers from different states coming to build the houses around here. We brought fresh, hot meals for them. And that’s still going on.

When you learn about serving the community, you start learning the differences about the cultures. But you can really make one culture for everybody when you have a place that reminds you of home, where you can find traditional food, fish and you open your heart to everyone who comes here to try your food. You find something that is comfortable for everybody. And the differences don’t matter, because you’re making a common ground. Our customers now are about half Latino, half from other cultures.

About 15-20 people work at La Milpa. We have a family business operation. That’s the difference between a short-term run and a long-term run. I’ve seen businesses that close their doors, for different reasons, but when you talk about families, they stay. …

A restaurant, grocery, market, bakery – these skills come from the tradition. When you’re home, you must learn all these skills. We have farming now, a small garden that provides us food for the kitchen. When you put all these skills together, you have a family, you have a tradition.

You bring this part, something that is directly connected to you. I love the tradition of Mexican music. And I learned an ancient art technique as a teenager called “popotillo art,” made with straw. I’m one of a few artists that still do this technique. I don’t sell my art, I only do shows. I think it’s part of me. You are recreating your roots through these events, because you show something inside you through these activities. …

The “Dia de Los Muertos,” or Day of the Dead is, I think, the most important holiday in Mexico. In the family, it’s important, because it’s an opportunity to remember the old ones who taught you a lot of stuff. I’m talking about baking, cooking, good values. So we make a tribute to them by remembering them. You go to the cemetery to fix their graves. You bring flowers to the cemetery. You have dinner there, tell stories.

This is how we keep the traditions alive. And supposedly, then they follow you to the home, where the celebration continues. Everything is so real, in your mind, in your heart. These are things from the ancient times.

This year for Dia de Los Muertos we are bringing the Aztec dancers from Mexico City. We are celebrating 200 years of Mexican independence and 700 years of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, which today is Mexico City. It takes place here, at the restaurant. The dancers will be outside and will pay tribute to the old ones, the ancient Mexicans.

That will be on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. All are welcome. We are doing this because we are actually doing what we are talking about. We are making collaborations with everyone. We also are bringing the dancers to the Petersburg Area Art League, on Sunday, Oct. 31.

Then we have another event with the dancers on Nov. 1, with the Chesterfield Public Schools. It’s part of the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. That will be from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Career and Technical Center at 13900 Hull Street Road.

When we have a chance to showcase Mexican culture, we do that. Next year, we’re planning to celebrate the La Milpa anniversary, which is important so the community learns what we have been doing, how we have been participating in all the aspects about community, business and culture. …

I can see progress in the community. The Latino community is getting better in the sense of, we own our own businesses, we participate in the growth of the state. I was one of the founders to develop this type of business, now everyone else is modeling themselves on this way, and so I think the community likes this. They are always looking for the community aspects of what you’re doing. It’s different than coming into a Walmart.