The Revolution Is for the Children: The Politics of Childhood in Havana and Miami, 1959-1962

Acknowledgments

xi Acknowledgments This book has been a collaborative effort. Almost ten years ago at Texas A&M University, Kingsville, Richard Hartwig and Nirmal Goswami encouraged me to begin thinking seriously about the politics of childhood in Cuban history. Since then, I have been fortunate to enjoy their continued encouragement and friendship. This book also benefited from the contributions of a number of exceptional faculty members at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Luis Alvarez, who continues to inspire me with his fierce intellect and zenzapatista spirit, gave selflessly of his time to pore over every word of the manuscript in its multiple iterations, giving special attention to developing its analytical framework. David Gutiérrez has challenged, harangued, and supported me every step of the way, raising questions and critiques that prompted me to reframe several of the book’s key arguments. Thanks also to Daniel Widener, John Skrentny, Mark “the Captain” Hanna, and Nayan Shah for their support of the book—and to Christine Hunefeldt, whose wisdom, compassion, and generosity are a model for women in academia. A number of other readers at the University of California, Irvine, and elsewhere contributed their vast knowledge and experience to this book. I am grateful beyond words to Raúl Fernández, who fact-checked every footnote, provided important research materials, and told me marvelous stories about his own Cuban childhood during the early revolutionary years. Special thanks to Félix Masúd-Piloto and Silvia Pedraza, who subjected the manuscript to several rigorous readings; their detailed constructive criticism strengthened the book’s argument, organization, and style. Jorge Duany also graciously took time to read the manuscript and provided thoughtful comments, for which I am truly grateful. My gratitude also goes out to the inestimable Vicki Ruiz for her guidance and unwavering confidence in my work during the past few years. Generous financial support helped bring this book to completion. The University of California, San Diego, provided travel research grants in 2008 and 2009; the UCSD Latino Studies Research Initiative also provided two grants during 2009 and 2010. The Cuban Heritage Collection xii / Acknowledgments (CHC), University of Miami Libraries, provided support for three months’ research during the fall of 2010 and winter of 2011. Special thanks to Maria Estorino, Annie Sansone-Martínez, and Rosa Monzón for their warmth and assistance navigating the CHC’s rich and varied collections. The UC-Cuba Multi-Campus Initiative also provided grants for travel to Cuba during the spring of 2011 and funding to present chapters from this book at a number of conferences and workshops. My thanks and affection go out to my UC-Cuba family for accompanying me and this book on its journey to publication. The University of California Office of the President provided me with the precious gift of time, in the form of a two-year Presidents ’ Postdoctoral Fellowship, to thoroughly revise the book. Thanks to Kimberly Adkinson and Sheila O’Rourke in the Office of the President for their unfailing advocacy, and to my UC-President’s colleagues and mentors , especially Sylvanna Falcon and Douglas Haynes, for their encouragement during the revisions process. I am especially grateful to Louis A. Pérez for expressing an early interest in the book, and to Elaine Maisner, senior editor at the University of North Carolina Press, for shepherding the book from inception to completion. I also wish to thank Father John Paul Forté and my Catholic community at the UCSD Newman Center, especially Gloria Kim, Jennifer Ehren, and Gabriela Ponce, the Park Terrace crew (including Charlie and Orlagh), and of course tía abi Beth, for the many ways they helped this book reach its final form. My husband, Mike, has listened patiently, provided essential technical assistance, and cheered me on each day. Last but certainly not least, I extend my thanks to the remarkable María Covadonga Pato for caring for, educating, and loving my precious nena Ana Sofía during the revisions process. The credit for all that is good in this book belongs to the people mentioned here and to others too numerous to name who also helped it reach publication. Any errors or shortcomings contained within its pages I claim entirely for myself. the revolution is for the children This page intentionally left blank ...