From conception to completion, this book has benefited from the help and support of many people. Without their assistance and encouragement, I could not have written it. First of all, I am deeply indebted to all of the residents of La Puente and the surrounding communities who opened their doors and shared their stories and knowledge with me. Also, individuals from the La Puente Valley Historical Society, the Hacienda–La Puente Unified School District, the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum, and the Claremont Colleges’ Honnold Library each introduced me to their archives and made available crucial documents. From the early stages of this project, I was fortunate to have been guided by several supportive individuals. While I was at UCLA, Vilma Ortiz, my graduate advisor, was instrumental in guiding me toward the skills, knowledge, and determination to carry out this work. Edward Telles, John Horton, and Karen Brodkin, my dissertation committee members, shared with me their insights and suggestions as well. Pomona College has been an environment conducive to teaching, researching, and writing. Travel and research grants in addition to Pomona College’s Steele Leave were crucial for allotting me the necessary time and resources to complete this project. I appreciate the support from students and colleagues, particularly in the Intercollegiate Department of Chicana/o Studies and the Department of Sociology. I have also been fortunate to have worked with many wonderful research assistants, most of whom were funded through Pomona College. Four who assisted me in the final stages of this project were Emily de Ayora, Juanita del Toro, Dianna Moreno, and Daniela Pineda. In particular, Daniela Pineda’s critical and thoughtful readings of earlier drafts of this work were extremely helpful. During the– academic year, colleagues at UC Irvine’s Chi-ix