Faces of the West County: Esmerelda Pinal
The owner of Sebastopol Sunshine Cafe talks about her journey from Mexico, her life in restaurants and beyond
I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who thought about the role immigrants play in our society, on the night the Key Bridge went down in Baltimore. Eight workers, on a break from filling in potholes, fell into the water that night. Two were rescued. The men were from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador. Like most immigrants, they were hard-working people seeking a better life here in the States, and willing to do the labor that many native born residents would prefer not to do.
Immigration may well be the issue that will determine the outcome of our nervously awaited presidential election. So I thought we’d get to know a Sebastopol businesswoman with a rich, Mexican immigrant story.
Esmerelda Pinal, who together with her husband Efrain, owns and operates Sunshine Cafe, the down-to-earth diner next to Retrograde Coffee on South Main Street. She sat down with me at a table in the back of the restaurant long enough to let us get to know a bit more about her.
Esmerelda, when and where were you born?
I was born in Mexico City in 1978.
So that'll make you about 46. Really?!? You're wearing it well. Who’s in your family?
My husband, Efrain Aguilar.
My father-in-law's name is Ephraim. Sounds like Efrain is the same name. That’s Joseph’s son in the Bible. Small world! And you have some kids.
We do. Three boys. Fifteen, five and three years old.
That's a lot. Who looks after them while you and Efrain are here most of the time?
I have a lady at home that takes care of them.
Are your parents here?
My dad is in San Diego.
Is your mother still alive? (Esmerelda shakes her head, no.)
She passed away when I was 17.
Oh my. I’m sorry. Is your father in San Diego because you have a brother or sister there?
I do have an older sister in San Diego. When we moved here from Mexico, we moved to San Diego. My uncle was already here.
So what year did you move to the States?
I was 14 years old. 1992.
So more than 30 years ago. Did you come here legally?
No.
How did you get here? Through the river? In a car?
No. Walking.
Through the desert?
No. Overland, near the border crossing. Through some woods, at night, with a coyote leading the way.
That must have been scary? You probably remember it if you were 14.
I remember it well. Oh yeah. It was scary. My brother was holding my hand on one side and my sister’s hand on his other side, and he squeezed us so tight. I’ll never forget that. We were all scared.
Did your whole family make it or did somebody get stopped?
We all made it, and on the first attempt. Many people get caught and have to try again and again. My mom came first. She came one year before us with my brother. He came back to Mexico just to be able to cross with my sister and me illegally.
So how long did it take once you got into the country to become legal?
It’s been a long process. Like 25 years.
Twenty-five years of not being legal? That must have been stressful. Were you scared of being picked up and sent back?
Not really. I don't think I had that fear.
Did you know any English when you came?
No.
So when you went to school? What happened?
Well, of course I went right to the other Spanish speakers. My English didn’t happen right away.
Did you graduate high school?
Yeah, and I even went to City College for a short while. My dad had a little business. He was legal. He became legal a long time ago. I think he was part of the first amnesty. He had a little restaurant in a nice part of town, in La Jolla. And then we lived in Pacific Beach, just south of La Jolla.
My parents put my sister in a school close to the business because after school she would just go to the business. It was easier for them to look after her that way and for her to help out. I had to go to a middle school somewhere else. I had to take the bus, and it was in a different part of town. The school my sister went to didn’t have as many Hispanic kids as the one I went to. So she learned English fast. In a year she was speaking like perfect English. Me I was like ESL, one, two, three years.
When you want to learn a language you have to practice it all the time. In her ESL class, there were a lot of French speakers from the Middle East. And lots of kids from Asia. Her friends were from many different countries.
While your friends were mostly other Mexican kids. What did you study at Junior College?
My mom passed away from breast cancer in my senior year of high school, so I didn’t really have time for the JC. Her death changed everything. I had to go to work in the restaurant. (Esmerelda begins to cry.)
I’m sorry. I was in my late 20’s when my mother died from breast cancer. She was only 53. I wasn’t 17 like you were, but I sort of know about losing a mom early.
So you're not new to this restaurant business thing. You’ve done it your whole life.
Yes. I grew up in this. That’s all we did. It's like a family farm with everyone working it. Our whole family contributed to the restaurant business.
Is it still there?
No. My dad sold it.
So you couldn't go to university or to college in part because you needed to work at the restaurant.
Yes. And not being legal, I couldn’t get any help with paying for school. No aid or scholarships. I'm happy they have this new thing under DACA for the kids who aren’t legal but want to go to college.
What do you think about the problem at the border? This is a country of immigrants. My parents were immigrants from Europe: Germany and Austria. Most of my friends were the kids of immigrants. I’m full of gratitude for this country for the refuge that it gave my family. But today, like back in the ’40s when my parents were escaping terrible circumstances, there are so many people who are fleeing terrible conditions and desperately want to come here, and like back then, our country is resisting opening the doors all the way. What do we do? How do we respond compassionately and rationally to the enormous demand? Do we let everybody come in? Do you only let in people who can manage to sneak in or pay a coyote enough to get them in? How do we do it fairly?
I really don't know. I don’t have an answer. You know, a lot of people from Mexico have gone to Canada because they were giving out more work permits. But there are lots of countries where life just isn’t possible any more. Like Venezuela. You can't live there. And the cartels in Northern Mexico. But we fill a huge labor need here. You need us.
I totally understand why people want to leave. I totally get it. People are fleeing all around the world. In Africa thousands and thousands of people are trying to get out daily and into Europe just to have a chance at a viable life. On top of economic issues, and crime and war issues, now we have people who are climate refugees.
You know in Mexico, if you don't have a career, you won’t make it. You won’t be able to provide for your family. If you’re just a common worker, there’s no way you can support a family. We live there day-by-day, struggling—like many people do here— although it’s so much easier here. Kids don't get free food at school in Mexico like they do here.
I know your oldest son loves to play soccer, but is he serious about school as well? Does he want to go to college?
He doesn't want to work like his mama. He wants to work with his head more than his hands. He was a straight A student for quite a bit. And then he came up with the idea that he didn’t want to be the nerd in his group of friends. He likes to joke around and dance. Of course, he's 15; he likes to dance. He just doesn’t want to be the nerd. I'm like, don't tell your friends about how well you do in school. They don't have to know. Just be yourself.
And he’s doing well in school again?
Yes. Playing soccer helps. He has to have good grades if he wants to play.
And he's pretty good, I’m figuring.
Oh yeah. Really good.
Is he on the school team or is he on a travel team?
He is on the school team and he is on Sonoma Valley Unified. It’s in a league outside of school. He plays with his friends, obviously, and like lots of kids, he dreams of being a pro soccer player. He would love to be a player, but I tell him he needs both, you know? I think any sport is good. I love sports too. It helps.
What sport do you play?
You don't want to know.
Sure I do. Come on.
I played soccer, and I played football.
American football?
I did. I played for the San Diego Sunfire, a professional women’s tackle football team.
You’re kidding! You know Efrain told me that you were really tough, but now I’ve got a better idea why he might think that.
I am tough.
What position did you play?
Defensive end.
So you did a lot of tackling.
I loved tackling.
How funny. Did you ever get hurt?
Oh, not that bad.
Did you ever hurt anybody else?
I don't know. I think so. I must have. It was good for me. It helped me a lot and was really fun. I was 22, so pretty young.
You were recently one of seven women featured in a theatrical production called Kiss My Grit. It focused on seven local women with a particular grit. Now I better understand what sort of grit you possess. Why do you think they picked you?
Well, Brian (Bryson)—he directed the show and came up with the idea—he and his son Gavin are regular customers of mine. I see them often, and we always talk. I usually don't talk about my personal life with my customers, but with them it was different. We talked about the business and running it together with my husband and being the mother of three boys and on and on.
So they saw in you a particularly strong woman and that's how you became one of the seven women in the play. When did you meet Efrain?
I was living in San Diego and then I moved to Washington state, because my brother opened some restaurants over there. So I went to help him a little bit. I was planning on going back to San Diego, but I had a friend in Sonoma who was going through a divorce. And then she was like, “Oh, I'm so depressed and I could use your help and you could live with me.” And then I was like, okay. I wasn’t alone. I had my oldest son from my previous relationship with me.
So your two little ones are from the second marriage?
Yes. Well, I thought maybe we try for one year in Sonoma, and then I’ll move back with my dad in San Diego.
So you moved to Sonoma for a while.
Yes. I started working at the Black Bear Diner in Sonoma and Efrain worked there too. And then it quickly just made sense between us.
Oh, isn’t that nice when it just makes good sense and you just know.
Oh yes.
Is it his first marriage?
Yes.
Well, I'm glad you found the right one this time. I have a lot of respect for you couples who can work together like you guys do.
Yeah, but I saw with my family members, like my aunts and uncles, that they have their own business and it’s the same. It's like, if you come from my town, you can just come and work for me. Everybody just helped each other that way. And maybe you work for me two years and then you ask your boss, “You want to help me to get my Roberto's or my Alberto’s off the ground?”—a business of my own. So that's how we all help each other. Most of my aunts and uncles are always working together. To me, it was like normal.
Let's get back to the restaurant in a minute. Do you go to church?
I used to. No more.
Why not?
I’m too busy with work and the kids. Well, that’s just an excuse. I really need to go back to church.
What church would you go back to?
I used to go to the Lighthouse in Sonoma. They have services in English, and they have La Luz, which is in Spanish.
How many hours a week do you work?
Ha ha. Most of the time! Right now I come in a bit later, maybe 9 am because I take the kids to school, and then Efrain might leave earlier to get them. I have a girl that's helping me now too. I might leave early, maybe five or six. And work isn’t finished when I leave this place!
Six days a week?
Seven.
No wonder you’re not in church! Never a break? You're here every day? Oh my.
Do you go back to Mexico for a vacation or to visit family every few years?
I’ve only gone back once, and that’s because my grandmother was really sick.
Hold on. Since you've come to the United States, more than 30 years ago, you’ve only been back one time to visit and only because somebody important was sick? Do you want to go back?
Yeah.
Well, why don't you find the time?
I had plans to go but then COVID happened. That changed everything for everybody.
Hey, I’m glad your business survived.
I know. Me too.
You know, I'm amazed so many small businesses survived. So few fell apart. I guess the government helping out was a factor.
We didn’t get anything. We opened the restaurant right when COVID hit. For a long time it was just me and Efrain working the place. There weren’t many customers, and we couldn’t find anybody to work anyhow.
When did you get your citizenship?
My green card? I got it in 2016.
Wow. So you were here about 25 years without a green card?
Yeah.
That's incredible. Are you a citizen now? Do you have a passport?
(Esmerelda shakes her head ‘No.’)
I’m gonna start working on that. My sister just became a citizen. Five days ago.
You're kidding!?! Well, congratulations to her. And now you're going to start the process?
Yes, I am.
But you don't have to. Apparently you can stay here indefinitely just with a green card.
I just need to renew my card, and that’s not a problem.
Well, I hope you become a citizen.
Yeah, I want to.
Is Efrain a citizen?
We are working on that too.
How much does it cost?
I don't know.
Do you have to have a lawyer to help you?
No.
How much longer will it take?
The process is different for everybody—to get a green card, to get a passport, to get a citizenship. Once you get your green card, you have five years. After five years being with your green card, you can become a citizen.
You got yours in 2016. So you could apply anytime.
My sister said that she studied so much (for her citizenship exam) and then they asked her three easy questions and she was ready for the next question, and they said “That’s enough.”
Well, I'm sure you could do it.
And she has seven kids! And she homeschooled all seven! And they are so well behaved. They’re so respectful. They speak English and Spanish. Her daughter is now 20. She just graduated as a medical assistant. My sister is so patient.
So Esmerelda, do you feel American yet?
No, I feel Mexican. I love America, but I’m Mexican.
Do your kids feel like they are American first?
I don't know about the little ones. It’s too soon to know, but the older one, he’s Mexican.
He was born here, but he's a Mexican?
Yeah. He likes everything about Mexico—the music, the food, Mexican traditions. You shouldn't forget where you come from, you know?
And still, you haven’t found the money or the time to go back to Mexico?
If you could go anyplace on a vacation with your husband, not including Mexico, where would you go?
Hawaii. It’s so beautiful there.
So you’ve been?
When I was younger. A long, long time ago, I went with a football team. We had a game over there. It’s so different.
What's the best part about owning your own business?
I think it’s the satisfaction of knowing that I can achieve anything I put my mind to. If you really work hard for it, and even if you fail, you just have to commit yourself.
I don't want to say it’s being my own boss, but that’s what people think. There is so much responsibility. And a lot of paperwork and decisions to make and worries. Worries! But it’s possible to succeed here. I saw this with my dad and his restaurant, and he doesn't even speak English.
Your father still doesn't speak English?
No, and he still ran a successful business!
What's the worst part about having your own business?
I think for us what happened with COVID and everything, and how hard it is to find people to work. And I need to find the right people, so that I can really feel relaxed with them. They need to treat our customers well. You know, like for me, like everybody that walks in here is welcome. And I like to treat everybody the same. I want my people to treat everyone with respect.
How many people work for you?
Right now, we have nine. Not all full time.
Some of them are here a long while. They are loyal like your customers.
We try to make it easy for everybody. You don’t want people to get up in the morning and think, “Oh my God, I have to go to work again?”
So now I want to ask you something a little personal. When you and Efrain want to go out for really good Mexican food, where do you go?
I’d go to La Hacienda in Sonoma. It's the best quality and really fresh and so familiar. And we live right nearby.
Is that on the square?
No. Boyes Hot Springs.
I love El Molino in Boyes Hot Springs.
Yeah, they’re good too. La Hacienda is right across from them.
And do you ever go to any other kind of restaurant? Bar-b-que, or an Indian joint?
My son loves Happy Garden in Sonoma. That’s a Chinese place. He likes it because the lady who works there always remembers his plate. Ever since he was a small boy.
One last question. If you had an extra a $100 to give to a charity, which would you give it to?
I give to people who need the money for something important. There was a guy in Sonoma who had a capital campaign for an organization that sent people to speak to teens about drug abuse.
Do you know the name of it?
No. I just gave him the money. I like to give money to people directly, to people personally.
Is Sebastopol a good town to have a business?
I think so. Sebastopol has like all kinds of people. And they’re really loyal. More loyal than other places I think. They’re really decent too. At least our customers are.
I am really happy having our business here.
Are you guys thinking of opening another restaurant?
(Esmerelda leans in and begins to whisper.) I was gonna tell you something. You’re one of the first to know. We're gonna open another Sunshine Cafe in Petaluma, by the JC.
Wow!
Hopefully in two or three months. It’ll be the same menu.
That’s incredible. Congratulations. You clearly weren’t busy enough. You needed another challenge.
Thank you. I don't know how we're gonna do it, but we saw a good opportunity.
Well, you came to the land of opportunity, and you’re not wasting your time about it. Good luck with the new place, Sunshine Cafe Numero Dos! And thanks for finding time to speak with us Esmerelda. I hope you and Efrain find a way to go back to Mexico for a visit, and maybe Hawaii too. And maybe find a little time to become a citizen, for crying out loud. And then, never miss a chance to VOTE!
I hope so too. One day.
Thank you for featuring Esmeralda and Efrain and their restaurant. We have been customers since they opened. I have enjoyed every meal we have had, and the service is always good. I enjoyed reading about her and her family and their story of immigrating to the United States. These are the people who politicians should be talking about and that people should read about. They are the people who have built this country. I wish them all the best and hope that Sebastopol Sunshine Cafe is here for a long time!
What a treat to know more about Esmeralda and Efrain. My family love the food and homey feel of Sunshine Cafe. So grateful they chose to open their restaurant here!