Joseph Pratt: People of the Scioto Renaissance: Martin and Tonya Miranda

PORTSMOUTH- While there are still missions to be accomplished and hurdles to leap in the greater Portsmouth area, there is massive progress being made all over by everyday people who are either providing a service, volunteering, serving in office, or donating. We frequently hear that we are in a renaissance, as new developments continue to pop up, new events are added to the calendar, and progress is made. But why? These things don’t manifest themselves. In a weekly column, for one year, I plan on writing about a different member of the community who strives to make this renaissance go. I’ll be highlighting business owners, volunteers, faith-based leaders, professionals, and volunteers.

I am column three into this journey, after highlighting Tracy Shearer and Toni Dengel, and now move onto my first couple! This feature is special because it focuses on not one, but two business owners who constantly give back to the community, who I’ve worked with on numerous occasions, and we’ve all, as community, have grown to love: Tonya and Martin Miranda.

I was led to write about these two because of their recent food donation to Bannon Park during LifePoint’s Serve Day, where they fed many families on their own dime. While this was an amazing gift of selfless love to give, this was just a normal day to two people who are constantly giving back to their neighbors.

Tonya was born in Portsmouth, played basketball for Shawnee State University, and now works in the medical field while not at one of her restaurants. Martin was born in Sonora, Mexico and has been a Portsmouth resident since he was 17.

Together, they own Sonora Mexican Grill.

Tonya handles many of the administrative, financial, and paperwork matters for the restaurant that opened in Portsmouth in 2014 and now has three locations. Martin handles a lot of the operations and mechanical work for the restaurants.

One of the big offerings they organize each year is the Annual Cinco de Mayo event they host outside their Portsmouth location, as well as their block parties where they not only provide family fun, food and music, but even provide haircuts for children and give away hygiene kits. Of course, that is far from all they do for neighbors that they call family.

“We have also done too many fundraisers and benefits to count. These activities have impacted the lives of local residents and their children who are facing medical issues and need help with expenses, those in need of help with funeral costs, children in need of free meals on Easter, recognition for honor roll students, free meals for people who can’t afford to eat out, and even many benefits for people who have lost everything from the result of a house fire,” Tonya said. “Honestly, my favorite thing is doing these fundraisers and seeing the community come together and become a team to help someone in need. The mission of giving back and being involved is important to me. I was raised in Portsmouth and want to make a positive impact and make this a more positive and vibrant place to live and we want to inspire others to get involved in making positive change.”

To Tonya and Martin, their restaurant is more than an opportunity to sell food, it is a hub of goodwill to provide for the people who support them.

Tonya further explained that community is important to her because the people make her home what it is. She recalled a time when the community rallied for her business and feels like her sense of giving back has only been amplified by that.

“During Covid, when we shared our stories of how difficult times were, with decreasing sales and a closed dining room, the community came together and showed us so much love and amazing support,” Tonya explained. “This reinforced our belonging and gratitude to this community, highlighting the importance of mutual aid and showing us an even greater example of what community support can accomplish.”

Her husband, co-owner Martin, said that his upbringing and early life shaped why he gives back.

“A mission of giving back and being involved in the community is important to me,” Martin said. “I grew up in Sonora, Mexico and it was difficult. Many people struggled to just afford food. Seeing these difficult times growing up made me want to make a difference in the lives of my community. I feel like it is my duty as an American citizen and a member of this community. Growing up in a poor household in Mexico, it doesn’t take long to understand the importance of helping one another.”

Community member and friend Cera Wymer has experienced the generosity of the Mirandas firsthand, as someone who has supported the many benefits, and even as a subject of them.

“Martin and Tonya have stepped up to invest in our community over the years in countless ways,” Wymer said. “They have a heart to serve both great food and the people in our area. My family personally benefited from their kindness as we walked through the adoption process several years ago. They didn’t hesitate to jump in when we needed help and I’ve

seen them do the same for others. We are blessed to have the Mirandas owning a business in our area and investing in the people of our community.”

Close friend of the Mirandas and Lead Pastor of Life Point Church, Ryan Hunt, immediately recalled Philippians 2:3-4 while thinking of the couple, “Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interest, but take interest in others too.”

Hunt then continued to explain why he recalls the verse.

“Martin and Tonya embody this scripture. They are so kind and generous,” Hunt said. “Their family attends our church, and we adore them. I’ve seen this couple pour out into this community over and over again. I’ve seen them step up to help people with great needs without asking for any payment, or public acknowledgment. I’m bragging on them because I wish more people were like them.”

Hunt explained that, while being a pastor, he witnesses a lot of people giving to charities and important causes, but he believes the Miranda family does things differently than most.

“It’s not super uncommon to see people and organizations giving to charitable causes and people in need. But it usually has some sort of strings attached to it or a six-foot check with a ‘look what we did’ social post bragging about the gift,” Hunt explained. “Which, to me, in a lot of ways, can tarnish the gift or further marginalize the people were supposed to be serving. When we give out of the kindness of our hearts, when we choose to be a generous people without any strings attached. That is the purest kind of giving. If you have had the privilege of meeting Martin and Tonya, you already know how wonderful and generous they are. The Portsmouth, Lucasville, and Waverly communities are better because they are in it.”

Whether it is serving up tacos or love for a community they call family, the Mirandas are always welcoming of all people from all walks of life, which is what makes them worthy as an early chapter in this column series. When my neighbor’s house burned, and her children were without basic necessities, Tonya was one of the first to reach out to me and ask how she and Martin could help. They ended up being one of dozens who eventually stepped up in big ways for my neighbors, but they were quick to help, showing that their willingness to help is instinctual, requiring little consideration. They are a reminder that this community is more than a beautiful river confluence city with rolling Appalachian foothills, but it is one filled with selfless love for neighbors.