AUSTIN, Texas — Rising property taxes and redevelopment has historically pushed some Austinites out of the areas they grew up in.

A number of Austinites are working to keep Hispanic owned businesses in East Austin. For Estella Castro, Austinite Cannabis Co. is much more than just a business.

"Autoimmune disease gave me an interstitial lung disease and so, I was using CBD well before we even wanted to open," said Castro.

The family-run shop officially opened its doors in August 2020. Estella Castro and her husband, Charles Castro, were born in the area and have admitted to seeing changes.

Even though some Latinos were pushed out of East Austin due to those very changes, Estella's mom was able to hold on to the property. They say it has been in the family for at least 15 years.  

"We've seen the neighborhood change from being a part of town no one wanted to be a part of, to it's up and coming, you know, everybody wants to live here," said Charles Castro. "And we've seen so many people be pushed out, that we still own the property. It's still a family property and we feel that we should give something back to our community."

They are just some of many business owners with the same idea. Carmen Valera is one of the co-owners of Tamale House East. She says her family has maintained business in East Austin for decades.

"A lot of Mexican American families, a lot of African American families, like, left the Eastside," explained Valera.

Estella Castro and Valera have witnessed the gentrification firsthand and are committed to supporting small businesses in the area. 

Tamale House East was Valera's mom, Diana's, first full-service restaurant. 

Valera says they are here to stay.

"People came to East Austin because of the vibrant culture," said Valera. "They came here to visit. They came here to eat and then they started moving in here. And you could get the flavor of the food, the music, the culture. And once a neighborhood begins to change too much, you lose what made it appealing.”