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Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region.

ORAL HISTORY

Moises Lemus & Juan Leon

El Agave

Moises Lemus was born in Jalisco, Mexico on August 25, 1989, and migrated with his family in 2000, at the age of eight years old. They lived in Nashville for a few months before moving to New Albany, Mississippi. Juan Leon was born in Mexico on November 16, 1978. In 2012, the business partners opened El Agave Mexican Grill in New Albany, Mississippi. In 2016, they expanded their brand and opened a second store in Oxford, Mississippi. Lemus and Leon discuss cultural preservation, adjusting to life in the south, the growth of the Latino population, and their experiences working in the restaurant industry.

*

Moisés Lemus nació en Jalisco, México el 25 de agosto de año 1989, e inmigró con su familia en el 2000, a la edad de ocho años. Vivieron en Nashville por unos cuantos meses antes de mudarse a New Albany, Mississippi. Juan León nació en México el 16 de noviembre del año 1978. En el 2012, los compañeros de negocio abrieron El Agave Mexican Grill en New Albany, Mississippi. El el año 2016, ellos ampliaron su marca y abrieron un segundo restaurante en Oxford, Mississippi. Lemus y León discuten el mantenimiento de la cultura, el adaptarse a la vida en el Sur, el crecimiento de la población latina y sus experiencias trabajando en la industria alimentaria.

Date of interview:
2017-08-03

Interviewer:
Simone Delerme

Photographer:
Chelsea Loper

Download Transcript

“

We’ve just pushed the ideas. I think if you go to most Mexican restaurants, they’re very similar in the way they look, the way they feel, and we didn’t want that. We were trying to do something different. Let’s say some people say, 'Hey, it looks a little more modern here.' It’s not as typical or traditional, and it’s not that you’re losing, it’s just you’re embracing the changes. It’s a fresh feel. ~ Moises Lemus * Hemos tratado de introducir nuevas ideas. Si tú vas—aun hoy en día, yo pienso que si vas a la mayoría de restaurantes mexicanos, son muy similares en la manera que aparecen, la manera en que se sienten y nosotros no queríamos eso. Estábamos tratando de hacer algo diferente, así que estábamos tratando—vamos a decir alguna gente dice, “Mira, parece un poco más moderno aquí.” No es típico ni tradicional, y no es que estás perdiendo, sabes, es simplemente que estás aceptando los cambios, y, sabes, es algo nuevo y fresco.

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The Southern Foodways Alliance drives a more progressive future by leading conversations that challenge existing constructs, shape perspectives, and foster meaningful discussions. We reconsider the past with research, scrutiny, and documentation.

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