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acknowledgments Writing this book has been a long and enlightening journey. I am deeply grateful to all the San Ignacians and Detroiters who generously shared their memories, their homes, and their lives with me. Among other things, they reminded me that as a Mexicana immigrant I have had similar experiences that are full of contradictory feelings—both painful and rewarding —and that it is all right to recognize and acknowledge these as part of a successful immigrant narrative. Gracias to Juan Javier Pescador, who opened up the fascinating discipline of history and offered his friendship and guidance. His cutting-edge research on transnational studies and his eagerness to share it with me have enriched my research and made me a better educator. I deeply thank him for his intellectual integrity and creativity. I thank many scholars at Michigan State University for teaching me how to become a strong feminist historian: Lisa Fine, Dagmar Herzog, who shared her passion on sexuality studies, and Leslie Moch. I am grateful to David W. Walker (1948–2001), que en paz descanse, who spent time sharing his experiences as a Mexicanist. Thanks also to my dear friend Jolee Blackbear, who read the manuscript in its beginning stages. Staff members of the various archives where I did primary research were helpful in many ways. I particularly want to thank the archivists in the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores and the National Archives in Mexico City, the Immigration and Naturalization Service office in Detroit, and the National Archives regional branch in Chicago for sharing their knowledge with me. Financial support for this project came from several sources. From Washington State University Vancouver I received a Faculty Seed Grant, Diversity Council mini-grant, and College of Liberal Arts Research Grant. The American Association for University Women (AAUW) Educational Foundation awarded me an American Fellow Summer/ShortTerm Research Publication Grant. All of this helped make the publication of this book possible. I am grateful to my compañeras and insightful scholars at Washington x mexican women and the other side of immigration State University who have read this manuscript at one point or another and have gently offered comments and suggestions: Linda Heidenreich, Pavithra Narayanan, and Noël Sturgeon. Special thanks to Candice Goucher and Laurie Mercier, who read the manuscript more than once and kindly provided critical perspective and meticulous comments on style and form. Their suggestions made this manuscript much stronger. Mexican historians and sociologists offered guidance and aid. Jorge Durand kindly made interesting comments. Basilia Valenzuela Varela opened up her personal archives and shared her research on San Ignacio with me. Having said that, I take full responsibility for this study and its findings. I presented excerpts of this book at various academic conferences and received invaluable suggestions from several scholars. In particular, I would like to thank my compañeras from MALCS (Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social) and all my queer amigas from NACCS (National Association for Chicanas and Chicanos Studies) for providing comments and sharing great humor. Editors have contributed their wisdom and expertise. I am grateful to Antonia I. Castañeda and Deena González, the Chicana Matters Series editors, and to the anonymous reviewer, who offered incredible bibliographical references. I am indebted to Antonia Castañeda for supporting this very important study from the beginning and for her invaluable critical analysis. Thanks to Kandy Robertson at Washington State University Vancouver. I appreciate Kathy Sunshine’s delightful narrative and wonderful disposition. I also extend my gratitude to the editors at the University of Texas Press for their guidance throughout this process: Theresa May, assistant director and editor-in-chief; Leslie Doyle Tingle, managing editor; Kathy Lewis, copyeditor; and Kaila Wyllys. Gracias a mi familia. To Gangue, whose strength and resilience kept our family afloat. To my hermano Ricardo, for bringing home the difficult emotional process of what it is to become a Mexican immigrant in the United States. Thanks to my nephews, Bruno and Bernardo, for sharing with me the pains of transnational familial dislocation. To my mami, the best feminist role model anyone could ask for. I am eternally grateful to her for the many hours she spent working on this project: researching, translating, transcribing, videotaping, and living with me in San Ignacio —and, most importantly, helping me see working-class Mexicanas through a different lens. And finally, mil gracias to my partner Kevin Díaz, who not only patiently and kindly fed me and provided emotional stability but also...

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