Horatio Castillo and Maria Chavez were born and raised in the rural state of Michoacán, Mexico. Both came from traditional families that valued hard work and authentic food. Independently, they migrated to southern California as young adults seeking a better life. After a few years in the hustling environment of Orange County, Horatio and his uncle took an eighteen-hour bus ride to Caldwell, Idaho, in search of employment opportunities in 1994.
“I still remember getting off the bus the morning we arrived, looking around and thinking, wow, this is it,” recalled Horatio. “The open space, beautiful mountains and rural lifestyle was just what I was hoping for.”
It didn’t take long for Maria and her two daughters to join Horatio in Idaho. Both Horatio and Maria found employment and began to save money. “Our wages were not high, but we settled in and made ends meet,” said Maria.
Horatio worked at a number of different jobs while Maria started working at a local... Read More