Beyond Cannery Row: Sicilian Women, Immigration, and Community in Monterey, California, 1915-99

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments It is a great pleasure to acknowledge the debts I have incurred in writing this book. First, I would like to thank the Sicilian families of Monterey, California ,who opened their homes and their hearts to me.They generously allowed me to share their lives as I reconstructed the story of their past. In particular, I am grateful to Peter Cutino,Rosalie Ferrante,Anita Ferrante,and Catherine Cardinale. I am deeply grateful for the intellectual support, guidance, and wisdom of Mary P. Ryan, who inspired me to begin the process of analyzing this migration experience through a gender-sensitive lens. Jon Gjerde gave me much-needed direction and help as my manuscript evolved through several drafts to incorporate a wider historiography and sources beyond oral histories. I am grateful to the professional staff at the Bancroft Library, particularly Teresa Salazar,and Dennis Copeland of the California Room at the Monterey Public Library for helping me sift through archives and locate critical documents used in this book. Steve Baker of the Monterey Institute of International Studies encouraged me to teach courses in International Policy Studies that deepened my understanding of migration processes and required me to take a broad, interdisciplinary , and always global view of migration. Pat Rivette, a supporter of Gender and Women’s studies at MIIS and my good friend, helped me with the title of this book. Friends and colleagues read (sometimes several) draft versions of this manuscript and gave me important criticism,response,and encouragement. I am deeply grateful to every one of them. John Walton provided critical 00.i-xii_McKib.indd฀฀฀9 10/27/05฀฀฀4:06:21฀PM x฀ Acknowledgments intellectual feedback and insight when I most needed it. Donna Gabaccia, Diane Vecchio, Elliott Barkan, Glenna Matthews, Karen Offen, Ron Bayor, Sally Cole,Linda Reeder,Lydio Tomasi,Kate Davis,Karin Strasser Kauffman, and Susan Shillinglaw each offered very different and equally invaluable perspectives and comments that helped me clarify and sharpen my argument. Diane Belanger,Lila Staples,and Cindy Riebe read and commented on drafts of this manuscript, and always gave me much-needed friendship and encouragement . Sandi Risser, cousin and dear friend, sustained me so many times over the years. Suzanne Desan has given encouragement and support since our graduate school days. Vicki Ruiz understood and believed in what I was trying to do in this book. I would never have been able to finish it without her.She took time out from her incredibly busy schedule to provide careful readings, critique, response, and support. Most of all I thank my family. Their love, patience, and confidence always sustained me. My parents, Harry and Geraldine Caliri Copelan, set high expectations with enormous love. I wish they were alive to see the outcome of so many years of intellectual labor. My maternal grandmother, Jenny Paluzzi Caliri, was a model of all things strong and good about Sicilian women. My sister Laurie continues to be my dearest friend and avid supporter . My children, Andrew and Becky, watched me teach, research, and write throughout their entire childhoods. They are my treasures; constant reminders to me of what are most important in life. Finally I thank Scott, my dearest husband, who never wavered in his support and belief in me, whom I love beyond all measure, and to whom I dedicate this book. 00.i-xii_McKib.indd฀฀฀10 10/27/05฀฀฀4:06:22฀PM Beyond฀Cannery฀Row 00.i-xii_McKib.indd฀฀฀11 10/27/05฀฀฀4:06:22฀PM Sicilians expressed class through neighborhood. The wealthiest families lived in the hills, especially on Mar Vista, and the poorest along the wharf. New Monterey was a mixture of ethnicities. 00.i-xii_McKib.indd฀฀฀12 10/27/05฀฀฀4:06:22฀PM ...