This book was hatched in a diner in midtown Manhattan after a conversation with my editor at City Lights, Greg Ruggiero. Safe to say that without his vision, creativity, and masterful editing, this book would not exist. Gratitude to everybody at City Lights in San Francisco, including Elaine, Robert, Stacey, Chris, Linda, and of course the institution’s great poet-painter-publisher founder, Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Elizabeth Bell deserves special thanks for her exceptional copy editing.
I would also like to give my deep gratitude to the many who have helped me with this book in a multitude of ways—from research assistance to offering feedback and insight to financial support—including my long time mentor Joseph Nevins, Alex Devoid (who came with me on many trips and is creating an accompanying documentary), Miriel Manning and Nora Collins (whose exceptional research was indispensable), the brilliant writer John Washington (who trudged through an early version of the manuscript), Jeff Abbott (who accompanied me on multiple trips through Southern Mexico and Central America), Jill Williams, Isabel Ball (a great researcher from Tucson, Arizona), Isabel Ball (an exceptional guide and interpreter from Marinduque, Philippines), Tita Agnes Apeles, Felix Perez, Ka Noli Abinales, Patricio Abinales, Tony Veloso, Yilian David and La Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña (OFRANEH), Beth Geglia, Louise Misztal, Randy Serraglio, Dahr Jamail (not only offering his generous time to talk about these issues, but his incisive monthly reports on climate destabilization at Truthout), NACLA Report on the Americas and its column “Border Wars” (for years of support), the Tucson Samaritans, the Green Valley Samaritans, No More Deaths, Randy Mayer and the Good Shepherd United Church of Christ, Joshua Garcia, Amy Juan, Nellie Jo David, and Tina Vavages-Andrew of the Tohono O’odham Hemajkam Rights Network, Larry Gatti and Tucson Community Acupuncture, The Historic Y, Blake Gentry and Laurie Melrood, Cyrina King, Tom Engelhardt and TomDispatch, Megan Kimble and Edible Baja Arizona, David Hodges and Cuenca Los Ojos, Mari Herreras and the Tucson Weekly, John and Molly Knefel with Radio Dispatch, Jessica Stites and In These Times, Marissa Cabaljao and People Surge, Richard “Dick” Erstad, John “Lory” Ghertner and the Greater Rochester Coalition for Immigration Justice, Eric Holthaus, Ben Beachy, Norma Price, Mary Goethals, Raquel Rubio-Goldsmith, Guadalupe Castillo, Isabel Garcia, Victor Braitberg, Crystal Guerra, Gabriel Schivone, Chris Castro, and Steve Teichner. Dora Rodriguez’s crucial role—not to mention lovely friendship—should not be underestimated. Yeb and A.G. Saño deserve a special shout out, as does the People’s Pilgrimage. Jim Cohen, gratitude for the warm hospitality in Paris. Zoe Hammer and Prescott College, including all the wonderful people who have helped me with my research—Maddox Wolfe, Ashleigh Hall, and Alissa Stutte. And, of course, the students who put up with me when I designed a border studies class around the exact topic of this book: Zoe Reeves, Sierra Reinertson, Isaura Lira Greene, Danielle Davis, and, of course, again, the great Miriel Manning. Dan Millis, Cyndi Tuell, Scott Nicol and the Sierra Club Borderlands program have supported me on so many occasions that I can no longer count them, as has the educational organization BorderLinks. Geoff Boyce has always a source of insight and conversation, especially over late-night drinks, and the Earlham Border Studies program has not only been a source of support, but has also given me excitement for the incoming generation. Of course there are countless friends, impossible to list in their entirety, with whom I’ve had so many conversations with about this subject matter, not to mention the many books and experts from whose work I have drawn from extensively in these pages.
Special thanks to Lauren and William for their endless support, and for putting up with my all-nighters and long trips. William’s birth happened when I was writing this book. Watching the miraculous strength of both Lauren and William in that small room at the birthing center breathed hope and love into this book perhaps like no other event could. Lauren, I thank you for reminding me of the strength, imagination, and potential of humankind. I hope that this spirit has faithfully showed up in the words in this book.
Special thanks go to Peggy and Dennis, Tom and Shannon, and Wes and Kim. And I can’t say how much I owe to my parents—literally everything—and brother Mark for always being there.
My grandmother, of course, although she passed away many years ago, was very influential to this book—in countless ways. It was so wonderful and heartening to connect with family in the Philippines for the first time, and not only experience their wonderful hospitality, but eat the delicious adobo and flan!
Always a special thanks goes to my co-conspirator Reina the cat, who even at 20 years old still sat by my side as I wrote, day after day.