As excitement grows for our two new locations in Maryland and Pennsylvania, we want to remind our amigos that this all started with an American Dream.
For those not familiar with the story, our CEO, Osiris, was born and grew up in Mexico. He always dreamed of moving to the United States and finding success as an entrepreneur and when he was just 18, he decided to pursue that dream.
“When I stepped on United States soil I realized that I was on my own and I was ready to become the man I have dreamed of all my life, I was in American Dream territory,” says Osiris. “I knew my first step was to succeed in learning English. So, I did and the rest is history.”
Knowing well that a dream is not enough, Osiris worked hard to immerse himself into the American life. He started a family, a career in construction, and eventually, he became an American citizen. When the economic crisis hit in 2007, Osiris was laid off and forced to start over again. Instead of giving up, Osiris was more determined than ever and built District Taco from the cart up with co-founder Marc Wallace.
“Perhaps people saw me differently. Young, brown, Spanish speaker, definitely not from here. An immigrant. But I never felt like an outsider, I was able to adapt very well to this country,” says Osiris.
Osiris found success when he decided to combine his Mexican culture with his new American lifestyle. District Taco now consists of 12 (and counting!) brick and mortar locations with about 400 employees. District Taco continues to provide opportunities and careers for people in the surrounding community. More importantly, District Taco provides fresh, Yucatan-inspired, Mexican food that it’s patrons have come to love.
We must remember, amigos, that none of this would be possible without the hope and desire of an immigrant with an American Dream.