Just after 5 P.M. on October 17, 1989, the San Andreas Fault slipped, and Loma Prieta Peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco became the epicenter of a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that lasted an astonishing fifteen seconds. It tore many parts of the Bay Area apart and damaged transportation infrastructure, including the top span of the Bay Bridge, which collapsed. The earthquake took place during Game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s. Everyone was at the game or tuning in, so the earthquake was seen all over the world—with live footage from the Goodyear Blimp. The earthquake was devastating, but it showcased the courage, resilience, and humanity of the people of the Bay Area, who came together during the crisis.
Years before the earthquake, as a seventh grader living in the Bay Area, I didn’t understand earthquakes. I was afraid of them. From the very first drill, during which I had to dive under my desk, to the first time I felt the ground shake, I remember thinking that the world was being unmade. The Magical Imperfect recalls those times, and how at a time of personal challenge and upheaval, when even the earth is not safe, healing and hope can come from surprising places.
The fictional town of Ship’s Haven, like many of the towns in the southern San Francisco area, was founded by immigrants dating back to the gold rush. In the story, the town received an even greater influx during a newer wave of immigration. This was a time when most second-generation children of immigrants commuted to larger cities for work, while many of first-generation immigrants and refugees formed tighter communities and smaller businesses to survive.
Many of these immigrants came through Angel Island. The Angel Island Immigration Station was put into operation in 1910. It became widely known as the “Ellis Island of the West.” The immigrants to the United States mainly arrived there from China and Japan, but also from the Punjab, Russia, the Philippines, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Latin America, as well. It is important to note the historical and deeply complex challenges that faced the many Chinese immigrants who came via Angel Island, dealing with a range of issues, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and various others that severely limited immigration all the way until 1965. However, many other immigrants came to Angel Island from Russia and the Philippines, and among these immigrants were several hundred Jews, fleeing Nazi rule in Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. Different groups of immigrants were treated differently. A stunning and comprehensive history of Angel Island immigration can be found in the landmark book Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America by Erika Lee and Judy Yung (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010).
While there are a few stories about Jews who successfully made it, there are many more stories that are not well documented and are waiting to be discovered.
Angel Island became a California State Park by 1963.
The story of Etan’s grandfather is fictionalized, but his story is based on one of many Jewish refugees who came from Europe on those last ships. It also tells the story of Malia’s family, immigrants from the Philippines. These are important connections for my family—my own Jewish background and also the Filipino side of my family—from which so many stories are waiting to be told.
Malia has severe atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, a skin condition that causes rashes that itch and swollen, dry, and scaly skin that can cover your entire body and can cause depression, isolation, and immeasurable discomfort. My wife, who is also a Filipina, has had to work through her eczema for most of her life and all of our married life. It is something that our family struggles, learns, and loves our way through almost every day.
I hope that this book lights the way for others to come to a better understanding of conditions like eczema, and that it will help others find compassion and perhaps even hope. Just like the characters in the book, no matter who we are or where we come from, we can all experience the healing power (and magic) of friendship and love.