[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 115 (Thursday, July 1, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H3589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE LIFE OF DON CAMERINO GONZALEZ VALLE

  (Mr. GARCIA of Illinois asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, today, I want to honor the life 
of a family man, a entrepreneur, a community member, and a friend.
  Don Camerino Gonzalez Valle, who passed away last week, embodied the 
American Dream. Camerino and his dad came to the U.S. to work in the 
Bracero program, just like my father had.
  Camerino didn't fear hard work. He worked in the field, at 
meatpacking plants, as a taxi driver, and a bartender. But he found 
success by appealing to our community's cravings for food that reminded 
them of home. He founded Taqueria Los Comales in 1973, in our 
neighborhood of Little Village, serving delicious tacos al pastor, just 
like the ones you find in Mexico.
  His strong work ethic and good eye for business soon turned into a 
restaurant with a chain of over 25 taquerias that went as far as 
Houston and Wisconsin. But Don Camerino was more than a businessman; he 
was, in a way, a father figure for many recently arrived immigrants who 
could find a plate of food and a job at his restaurants.
  On holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, he would keep the 
restaurant open so that the immigrants, who were far from home, could 
feel closer to their country of birth. Our common respect and 
admiration for our immigrant community is what brought us together as 
friends. He was also adamant about preserving important traditions, 
like la charreria, the Mexican-style rodeo, which he practiced with 
great discipline and honor.
  When I decided to run for office, he supported me. My wife, Evelyn, 
and I send our thoughts to Don Camerino's family during this time. He 
will be sorely missed in our community.

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