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Swimming High School Swimming I used to swim competitively in High School.
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During the beginning of the Cold War, immigration into the United States from Italy was almost impossible. The American government did not want foreigners entering during an intense period of history, especially those immigrating to New York City. Americas were frightened that these immigrants could be terrorists, thus preventing Italians from gaining citizenship. As the Cold War continued, organization groups such as the “Italian American Organization” and the “American Committee on Italian Migration” (ACIM) started to form. They created vast efforts to provide assistance and aid to Italian immigrants coming into the United States. Throughout the Cold War, these organizations increased rapidly with many American Italian members as well as many new coming Italians. ACIM also took a leading role in directing the efforts of other Italian American and Catholic organizations that helped contribute to Italian immigration. These organizations provided new migrants with housing, clothing, access to job interviews, and education for children. Italians already living in America volunteered by making house visits to those immigrants who have just settled down in their new homes. These house visits made the intense and rigorous migration journey easier while allowing the Italian American community within New York City to grow. Immediately after the Cold War period, Italian Americans further consolidated and solidified their status as members of the American mainstream. ~

Battisti, Danielle. “The American Committee on Italian Migration, Anti-Communism, and Immigration Reform.” Leatherby Libraries, Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois Press, 2012, web-a-ebscohost-com.libproxy.chapman.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=41.

Many articles fail to mention the impact migrant men had on women left behind. There is an immense amount of information discussing how Italian men made the treacherous journey to the United States and started their new lives. However, their wives had it just as strenuous staying behind in Italy taking care of children and essentially becoming the man of the household. "Widows in White” is an incredible book written by Linda Reeder that focuses on the transformation of rural Italian women after their husbands have left for the United States. This book portrays the life of Italian women and how difficult it was to run a household and suppress the new and challenging gender role changes. Reeder also focuses on the role of gender and race that these women begin to experience. Many decisions like how to acquire land or paying bills had to be made by women whose husbands were abroad. One of the largest factors of the migration of women from Italy was due to these Italian women marching to police stations and government halls demanding they be allowed to immigrate to the United States. It was unfair and sexist that these women could not join their husbands in the new world because of their gender. As their husbands sent money back home, these women bought land, food, and many women began to enroll in school for a proper education. ~

Brettell, Caroline B. “Widows in White: Migration and the Transformation of Rural Italian Women, Sicily, 1880-1920/White on Arrival: Italians, Race, Color, and Power in Chicago, 1890-1945.” Leatherby Libraries, Southern Methodist University, Oxford University Press / USA, 2005, Spring, web-a-ebscohost-com.libproxy.chapman.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=42.

- American Relief for Italy, Inc (ARI)

In 1944, the creation of the American Relief for Italy, Inc (ARI) functioned as an umbrella organization until 1946. The ARI collected, shipped, and distributed over $10 million of relief materials donated by other Italian organizations and individuals from all over Italy. Catholic charities, labor unions, cultural clubs, and fraternal organizations all responded in helping to raise money for the ARI. These relief materials were donated to Italians in need and helped to provide humanitarian assistance. All remaining donations were distributed to Italian soldiers at war. This organization was one of the first steps in the lengthy process of political and economic stabilizations in postwar Italy.

- American Committee on Italian Migration (ACIM)

Throughout the 1950s and the 1960s, the American Committee on Italian Migration (ACIM) was one of the largest, most active Italian American organizations in the United States. They gave assistance to Italian immigrants living in the United States threatened by political instability and provided recovery for those in need. Frequently, money and supplies were sent back home to those who were unable to migrate or were in the process of migrating to the United States. Most of these people were the women and children Italian men left behind in hopes of starting a new life in America. The ACIM grew rapidly with hundreds of thousands of members being both donors and beneficiaries.

- National Catholic Welfare Conference (NCWC)

The National Catholic Welfare Conference (NCWC) worked with ACIM on legislative campaigns and immigration projects. In 1951, members from NCWC, ACIM, as well as other Italian Americans joined together in efforts to create an organization that specifically benefited and focused on assisting Italian immigrants. After a vast effort in 1953, the Refugee Relief Act (RRA) was passed allowing the entrance of over two hundred thousand Italian immigrants into the United States. The RRA provided these Italian immigrants with many opportunities to start their new life in America. Job opportunities, a place to live, and proper education for immigrants children were provided.

Battisti, Danielle. “The American Committee on Italian Migration, Anti-Communism, and Immigration Reform.” Leatherby Libraries, Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois Press, 2012, web-a-ebscohost-com.libproxy.chapman.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=41.