This paper focuses on the migration process, and emphasizes the role of women, focusing on the degree to which marginality is not simply a residual effect of, but is a significant casual force for adaptation, in its successful outcome, however that may be defined in individual cases. The migration process is reviewed using data from working class Azoreans and Azorean immigrants, a segment of those Atlantic islands Portuguese who constitute the American Portuguese. This paper suggests that women are just as important as males but that their importance has been ignored and their roles as humans have been treated as limited, trivial and inconsequential. The paper presents the position that Portuguese immigrant women are marginal but that despite this marginality; in fact, because of it, she utilizes that position in a positive fashion, especially to improve the economic potential of her family. Positive aspects of marginality especially among Portuguese females are best demonstrated by the institution of "cunha" which occurs when a person goes to someone and asks him/her to "put in a plug for us with so and so". The process of making a "cunha" leads to the formation of a social network. The important point to note is that marginality of a special kind is required if the adaptive potential of networks and of "cunha" making is to be maximized. In conclusion, it is noted that Portuguese women adapt, except when they must not, she must place the nuclear household first but is prepared to work outside, she should carry an equal share of family burdens but should play deference to the senior male, she must make new friends but maintain old ties, and she must maintain her position at the core while living constantly on the fringe. (Author/AM)