Fernando Membrilla is striking a pose emphasizing the bolded words “Voted Best Birria”. (Flourishing Fresno/Aileen Guzman)
In a small city hidden in the deep depths of Fresno, CA. Calwa residents show their love for both their residents and community through support, encouragement, diversity, and much more.
By Aileen Guzman
Between the streets of E. Jensen Ave and S. 10th St., the whole strip of Calwa is the center for residents within the community. Restaurants such as Birrieria El Taco Solito, Taqueria Las Pebles, Carnitas La Piedad Taqueria, and many more are scattered up and down the strip.
The total number of residents within the Calwa community is 2,517. Some owners of the restaurants and stores in the strip of Calwa have been living there for years, and others for decades.
Fernando Membrilla, the owner of Birrieria El Taco Solito, expressed his love and pride for the Calwa community. A lifelong resident, Membrilla reminisces about his childhood and he is now running a business to help support both his community and his family. For most residents, Calwa has been one of the smaller neighborhoods that has gained a negative reputation.
Speaking with some of the residents has revealed that most of them disbelieve the false narratives others outside of Calwa have crafted, such as the belief that Calwa is one of the most dangerous areas of Fresno.
“It’s not true, we all take care of each other here, we look out for one another here too,” said Membrilla. “It’s not as dangerous as people would say it is.”
Besides the many restaurants in Calwa, the Discount Market is also a home base for the residents. With a meat dispensary inside the discount market, residents buy both their groceries and household sundries they may need from the market.
Mohammed Zamizami had been working for the market for some years. He mentioned how most of the businesses in the strip depended on each other to pay for new businesses and expenses.
“It’s a little crazy because we have such an impact, we’re one of the safest areas considering we’re a few blocks from the west side, most of us here are family-based, and there are hardly any gang members,” said Zamizami.
For some outsiders, Calwa has gained the reputation of being filled with gang members and negative activity. For example, back in 2017, Yourcentalvalley.com published a story regarding the arrest of 14 Calwa gang members.
But aside from the dangers and negative comments about Calwa, the residents have stood above the hate and continue to protect their community and its members. For some residents, it was just a typical Sunday morning. They were seen entering and exiting the many stores and restaurants throughout the street, while others were seen hanging outside of their homes.
In a small home hidden near the Birrieria El Taco Solito, four older gentlemen were hanging out in a gazebo while drinking and enjoying a couple of rounds of dominoes. They greeted everyone who passed by their gazebo with a welcoming smile and a hello.
The community was active and together, residents were seen walking around acknowledging each other as if they had already known one another. The streets were filled with laughter and loud Spanish music blared from the restaurants every time the doors would open and close.
For many residents Calwa is more than just a small community, it is their home, it is their safe space, built by its own residents. A former Calwa resident, Alexis Ocampo, 23, remembered being a kid while growing up in Calwa.
“My favorite memory would be when my family and I would go visit my grandma at the liquor store because there use to be a small space where they would cook and I just remember they’d make the best tortas de asada,” said Ocampo.
Although well-known for its industrial facilities, Calwa is also considered an underprivileged community. In spite of the lack of resources for appropriate living conditions paired with the lack of awareness of their air quality, these residents still manage to pull through for their community.
One of the newer businesses, Casa Oaxaca, serves the Calwa community with items from Oaxaca, Mexico. They serve bread, sweets, drinks, handmade pottery, hats, and much more.
The business owner of Casa Oaxaca, Octavio Santiago, has run his business for about two years. He felt somewhat like an outsider to the Calwa community at first until he got to know the area.
“I open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but by then the streets are pretty empty and quiet, there is no negative activity going on during the night or the day,” said Santiago. “I’ve only been here for two years and I know that this area is one of the safest places to be.”
These residents and business owners speak for their community and have showcased the safety, respect, and love they continue to have for it.
There will be free food distributions at Calwa Park on May 12 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Flourishing Fresno 