Vicente Merino-Martinez moved from Mexico to Albany 30 years ago, with his family. He’s from the small state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, about a 6-hour drive from Mexico City. He says his family moved to the United States for opportunity.

“The Triqui people leave to find work, there is no work there, that’s why they leave their town, their home and come here looking for a better life,” said Merino-Martinez, who owns Viva Cinco de Mayo restaurant.

Merino-Martinez is not alone, as Albany has a rapidly growing population of Oaxacans.

Laura Gonzales-Murphy is the executive director with the Office for New Americans at New York’s Department of State. Oaxacan herself, she says Oaxacans have been migrating to upstate New York.

Her office compiled a report on Albany’s growing Oaxacan community. She believes it all started with a University at Albany initiative to create the first dictionary for the indigenous Oaxacan Triqui language, a subpopulation of Oaxaca.

“The relationship between some of those professors and the Triqui community,” said Gonzales-Murphy. “I think that was also a very big piece of bringing Roman Vidal, for example, and some of his friends first here.”

Gonzales-Murphy says by 2014 the Oxacan community had grown to 600.

“I would say it’s in the thousands now,” said Gonzales-Murphy.

She says the primary reason, then and now, is opportunity.

“It’s cheaper than living in a major city, but access to employment, access to farming areas, as well, cheaper housing,” said Gonzales-Murphy.

Those are many of the same reasons that drew Merino-Martinez’ family to Albany. The 44-year-old now owns his own restaurant. Seven years ago, he opened “Viva Cinco de Mayo,” which, for him, represents stability.

“A restaurant is a reliable job, whether it rains, snows, they never tell you, you have to stop working,” said Merino-Martinez.

The restaurant owner says business is great - he’s sending his oldest daughter through college and is living the American Dream he came here for.

“I thank god for this restaurant,” said Merino-Martinez.

The restaurant isn’t only about financial stability. Merino-Martinez is proud to share his native culture.

“It’s beautiful,” said Merino-Martinez. “Every area has its own culture and people who haven’t experienced our culture, they love it…You want people to love your culture and you want it to look beautiful.”