UOG Triton's Call Newspaper Issue 1, February 2019, Volume 46

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Fañomnåkan 2019, Vol. 46, Issue 1, February

Triton Fitness Center expands services

By Sophia Madlambayan

Triton’s Call Staff

The University of Guam’s Triton Fitness Center began partnering with TakeCare Insurance Company Inc. in January to offer new fitness and wellness services.

The partnership is intended to expand the community’s use of the Fitness Center and increase revenue for the Field House by allowing TakeCare members to access UOG’s gym facilities.

The partnership would also create new fitness classes in Zumba, HIIT and yoga.

UOG Athletics Director Doug Palmer said a long-term goal for partnering with TakeCare is to improve the fitness and wellness of UOG’s community members.

Palmer aims for increas-

ing UOG staff, faculty, students and administrators’ physical activity levels.

Previously, community members could access the Triton Fitness Center through paid memberships. The partnership with TakeCare allows the opportunity to market and promote the facility to its customers.

UOG students with a valid school ID may use the facilities as part of the $32 paid by each student to the Athletics department every semester.

UOG faculty, alumni and community members can pay for membership rates for day, semester or year usage.

TakeCare members can access and use the facility if they list the Triton Fitness Center as their primary gym.

Donabel Little, Take-

Care’s Wellness Program Manager said they may develop new fitness programs in the future.

The Triton Fitness Center has undergone extensive renovations over the past several years.

In 2015, the facility finished the first phase of a two-phase $3 million project funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the University of Guam capital improvement project fund intended to update the UOG Calvo Field House according to the UOG website.

Palmer hopes that the partnership with TakeCare will encourage more students to use the facilities.

“The main reason we started this partnership was to get more students involved and push our younger-aged campus

The Triton Fitness Center, located in the Calvo Fieldhouse, expands its services with TakeCare.

Photo by Sophia Madlambayan

population into better fitness and wellness,” he said. “My number one priority is to have more students involved with both Triton Fitness Center and the classes.”

For information about the Triton Fitness Center, contact Doug Palmer at 735-2862 or palmerd@ triton.uog.edu.

SGA resolves funding for upcoming events in 2019

By James Rupert Triton’s Call Staff The Student Government Association held its 10th regular session on Friday, Feb. 8 at the Student Center.

The session highlighted SGA’s commitment to dorm residents, who have been out of laundry services since the previous semester. SGA committed to provide these students with transportation to laundromats where they could do their laundry.

“We are here to ensure that the quality of their student experience is a good one,” said SGA President Evander DeGuzman.

SGA also settled that The Globe will be the

venue for Blue Night, and the event will commence on March 15, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Charter Day will be held Tuesday, March 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. SGA’s entertainment committee is still looking for more performers for Charter Day. SGA is also hosting the “SGA LOVES YOU” event on Feb. 14 at the Student Center.

SGA Vice President Marilea Torcelino said: “We will be giving out flower pens, and chocolate treats.”

SGA also plans to hold an open mic, games, and a raffle.

SGA also discussed the renaming of the School

SGA representatives meet for the 10th Regular Session of the school year. Photo by James Rupert

of Nursing and Health Sciences to the School of Health because the school recognizes the name does not represent the full spectrum of programs under it.

“I hope the students get involved, to be engaged in campus activities,” said SGA Advisor Dean Olah.

“I encourage them to join campus organizations.”

Currently, the 57th SGA

seats 11 senators and four executives.

SGA also passed other bills, including Bill 5711, which appropriated $5,000 to fund Triton’s Call through the current fiscal year.

Bill 57-29 would give $1,500 to fund Fanomnakan Spring 2019 monthly activities.

After the meeting, SGA treated those in attendance to a free dinner.

Domino’s Pizza provided the food.

The 11th regular session for the SGA will be held on Friday, Feb 22, 2018. For more information, contact Evander DeGuzman at 671-788-9699.

Fine Arts building in need of repairs

University of Guam Triton’s Call, February 2019

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By Isabella Alvia Triton’s Call Staff

The University of Guam’s Fine Arts building continues to deteriorate and is in dire need of repairs.

While it is included in UOG’s Vision 2025 Master Plan, a list that identifies buildings considered as priorities for construction or renovation, the Fine Arts building sits at third on the list. Ahead of it are the Student Success Center and Engineering Science Annex and Triton Engagement Center.

The Fine Arts facility houses the University’s programs in 2D and 3D art, music, and theater.

The building lacks some necessary materials, adequate space, and a decent elevator for its students to use.

UOG Art Professor Lewis Rifkowitz, who has been teaching at UOG for almost 30 years, said the facility was number one on the priority list in 1989,

Art sculptures and materials displayed outside of the classrooms at the Fine Arts building.

Photo by Isabella Alvia

but has gone down to number three as the years passed.

Just recently, air conditioners were installed in Rifkowitz’s classroom.

Wooden lockers, located outside of Rifkowitz’s classroom, were infested with termites, and had to be removed and replaced with metal lockers.

Rifkowitz has also had to dig deep in his own pockets every semester

to buy any supplies needed for the students to use. “There’s only so much I can do in that situation,� Rifkowitz said. “For me, it’s students first and I just want them to have a great experience.�

Space has always been one of the facility’s limitations, as new studio and sculpture spaces are needed.

Currently, the facility only has one 3D space

and three 2D spaces for their photography lab, print studio, and painting studio.

According to Vice President of Admissions and Finance Randall Wiegand, funds for the University are tight due to the Trump tax cuts.

UOG has an estimated $5 million budget shortfall. “The University is aware that the Fine Arts building continues to face complications,

but we’re caught in this dilemma of the elevator,�

Wiegand said.

The University is working on a loan application for a new Fine Arts facility but the question remains to either put $500,000 into a new elevator or if it is more frugal to wait to take down the facility entirely in two to three years and build a brand new one.

Rifkowitz believes that if the University builds a state-of-the-art theatre, performance space for music and gallery, in addition to having classroom studios, this would attract more visiting artists, performers, musicians, theater groups, and dance groups to use the space. “We’ve been languishing as having an art building, or any maintenance happen.

It’s only when students complain that action is taken towards the building,� Rifkowitz said.

Residence Halls without laundry services since last semester

By Tahira Ewatel Triton’s Call Staff The UOG Residence Halls have been without washers and dryers since the beginning of Fanuchanan/Fall 2018.

This has made doing laundry even more of a chore for residents. “It is so frustrating

Publisher Francis Dalisay, PhD fdalisay@triton.uog.edu Editors-in-chief Sophia Madlambayan Therese Martinez

to sort out dorm life when you can’t wash your load any time of the day,� said Jasmine Silang, a resident from Iya-Hami Hall.

Lee Law, a new resident at the Residence Halls, said she was very disappointed when she moved in and heard that there were no laundry services.

Staff writers, copy editors, photographers Isabella Alvia Eliza Casimbon Tahira Ewatel Luke Scott Fernandez Sophia Madlambayan Therese Martinez James Rupert

She had to rent a car just to wash her laundry. “It would be great if there were laundry services as for residents can wash within the campus, save time and money,� Law said. “[Students] would not walk with their heavy laundry basket or pull their suitcase down the

nearest laundromat.�

Keidi Xavier, a resident at the Dorm 1 ROTC building, said: “If the Residence Halls can accommodate the maximum number of 207 residents, it can surely understand the need of laundry services to the residents.�

Last week, at the first

mandatory floor meeting, the residents were told that the process is on hold at the procurement office.

However, the Residence Halls have been providing van transportation to the nearest laundromat for the past months for residents on weekends.

tritonscalluog@gmail.com tritonscall tritonscalluog tritonscall.com

By Therese Martinez Triton’s Call Staff Almost a year-anda-half after it was shut down, the campus’ cafeteria reopened at the end of January.

Students now have the option to eat in the facility, but plans to rebuild it have been postponed.

The University closed the cafeteria in Fanuchanan/Fall 2017, due to various health violations such as a rat infestation, leaky ceilings, and broken air-condition units. A few weeks after, the cafeteria reopened for students and University organizations to use, but it had no food services.

During that time, the University found ways to cope with the situation, including allowing

students to eat on the first floor of the RFK Library and contracting various food truck vendors situated in the Center Courtyard.

Lawrence Camacho, dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success, shared his views on the cafeteria.

“When I first got here, the cafeteria was open to students who wanted to hang around, play games, utilize the Wi-Fi, or to have meetings, but no food was being served,” Camacho said.

Student Government Association Vice President and Communication major, Marilea Torcelino, believes that it is great to have the cafeteria serving food again.

Torcelino said: “[The cafeteria] smells clean-

A stall where Crosswalk used to serve coffee before the cafeteria shut down. Plans were made to turn stall into a student run store. Photo by Therese Martinez

er now and they put up curtains, but there are still improvements that can be made.”

The Division of EMSS, Auxiliary Services, and various departments

at the University have been working together to improve the cafeteria in order to create a clean and inviting environment.

Other plans Camacho said that there are two plans currently in the works to improve the facility.

The first would involve short-term renovations to the cafeteria, including opening stalls and adding a student lounge where students could collaborate.

The second would involve long-term renovations, aimed to have the Student Center rebuilt.

The University has finally put out a request for proposal, and it is hoping to have the new Student Center constructed by 2021.

Lack of water fountains and stations on campus leave students thirsty

By Tahira Ewatel Triton’s Call Staff About 4,000 students are enrolled at UOG, but only a few water fountains are available for their use on campus.

“I usually walk to the Student Center to refill my water bottle or buy bottled water from the vending machines,” said Salome Vuki, a student who takes classes at the EC building.

According to Sonny Perez, a professional engineer and UOG’s chief plant and facility officer, a lot of the existing water fountains on campus need to be repaired.

Perez said the exist-

ing fountains will be replaced with new hydro flask units, also known as bottle-filling stations and coolers.

The Facilities and Utilities Office have financed two hydro flask units and are awaiting with the Center of Island Sustainability for installation.

A single hydro flask unit and its installation cost about $4000.

Before the new units can be installed, proper modifications need to be made to existing structures.

Such modifications inlcude alignments for walls, waste, electrical and water lines.

“It is an additional cost that adds to the capital investment,

which needs a longterm maintenance process for water stations to be installed,” said Robert McIntosh, capital improvement project coordinator at UOG. ...“They understand that it is the University’s responsibility and will take extra step due to the availability of funds,” McIntosh said.

Students who reside at the Residence Halls have expressed concerns about the lack of water stations at the dorms. It is difficult for them to refill their water containers at the nearby stores or carry extra water bottles just to refill their Hydro Flasks.

“The sooner the better, for a winner campus, winner envi-

Nonfunctioning water fountains in the hallway at Computer Center.Photo by Tahira Ewatel

ronment,” said Mylie Ngiriou, a student who lives at the Residence Halls.

Parbica Rengulbai, also a student living at the Residence Halls, has expressed that installing water refill-

ing stations across the campus would improve access to drinking water, support the use of reusable drinking bottles, and reduce the purchase and disposal of single-use plastic, water bottles.

3 University of Guam Triton’s Call, February 2019

UOG cafeteria reopens, but with room for improvement

University of Guam Triton’s Call, February 2019

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Will UOG move toward gender-neutral restrooms?

By Luke Scott Fernandez Triton’s Call Staff In 2015, the Guam Community College took a proactive approach by adding two genderneutral restrooms to the campus, according to Latisha Ann Leon Guerrero, GCC Center for Student Involvement program coordinator.

While GCC has added gender-neutral restrooms, UOG has not.

Nathan Lizama, a UOG student majoring in Communication, and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, said it is important to have acceptance of a wide variety of different gender identities.

“I feel that the campus isn’t current with the gender-neutral bathroom situation and they are stuck in the past, “ Lizama said.

Clariann Clark, a student majoring in

on campus. This includes the new School of Engineering building, the renovation of the Student Services Center, and an upcoming cultural repository facility.”

Macapinlac said UOG continues to discuss the possibility of retrofitting some restrooms, and President Krise has tasked administrators to evaluate our current facilities to see where the installation of gender-neutral restrooms would be most feasible.

Lee Yudin, PhD, dean While GCC has added two gender-neutral restrooms, there are of the College of Natural none at UOG. Photo courtesy of Luke Scott Fernandez & Applied Sciences, said he is in full support Social Work, said bathrooms, however, of UOG being more inclusivity in and around there were discussions inclusive of those in the campus is important for about assigning a LGBTQIA+ community. students. unisex, or family “The LGBTQIA+ Jonas Macapinlac, bathroom in the Student community needs to be UOG director of Services Center.” more proactive at UOG, Integrated Marketing Macapinlac added: have more of a voice Communications, “We are planning to and let their opinions explained that “there include gender-neutral or were no requests multi-purpose restrooms be heard to the top of administration,” Yudin for gender neutralin all new construction

said.

Some UOG faculty tend to agree.

Associate Professor of Theatre Michelle Blas, said,“UOG can improve its facilities by becoming a more inclusive campus. Genderneutral bathrooms can be a great first step in creating a safer environment for its students.”

“Gender neutralbathrooms would benefit all kind of individuals,” Blas added “We do have to be aware that depending on how the restroom is designed it may take some people time to feel comfortable or even safe knowing their will be access to members of all sexes in the restroom considering for the most part we are used to separate restrooms based on gender.”

NPR’s David Greene: UOG’s 38th Presidential Lecture Series

By Eliza Casimbon Triton’s Call Staff The University of Guam’s 38th Presidential Lecture Series, held at the Lecture Hall on Feb.1, featured David Greene, a journalist and host on National Public Radio.

Greene discussed his experiences reporting from overseas places and the criticism he received from viewers when interviewing certain guests during his segments on NPR. “One of the toughest places to travel was to Siberia,” Greene said.

“Trips like that helped me learn about the country and culture.”

Greene decided to travel third-class in a Russian train.

David Greene narrates his experiences in Siberia.

Photo courtesy of UOG

“It felt like a dormitory with 20 year-olds,” he said.

While on these trips covering stories, Greene kept in mind to ask his interviewees what they felt, saw, heard, and what they

were hoping to accomplish.

Greene shared his memorable moments of criticism which was during the 2016 US Presidential Elections.

He profiled different voters and had them watch the debate then

come into studio the next morning to share their views.

The feedback he received from his listeners was that he “went too easy on them and was not asking enough questions or [he] was too hard on them,” Greene said.

Beatrice Benson, a caregiver, was interested in his political interviews and the interactions he came across during this journalism career.

“His description of the political scene, at the moment, was very succinct because it [spelled] out what people are thinking and the confused state of being in a situation where you cannot get it to work.

We make up our mind

to what we hear and think and radio is one of the things that we are exposed to,” Benson said.

Keanno Fausto, a student at the university taking a broadcast journalism class, said, “Since David Greene travels a lot, I learned there’s a lot of humanity behind journalism.

He traveled to Russia and was pro-democracy but then later understood a Russian citizen’s political point of view.”

Greene traveled to Guam to be a special guest of KPRG’s 25th anniversary, which they celebrated at the Guam Museum on Feb. 2.

By Isabella Alvia Triton’s Call Staff As the University commences its Fañomnåkan 2019 semester, Triton’s Collective, UOG’s firstever dance team, is back for their second season.

Established in the Fanuchånan 2018 semester, the dance team provides a platform for college students to continue pursuing their passion for dancing after high school. It also opens the opportunity for novices to engage in a local dance community.

Kiana Mendiola, an English for Education and Secondary Education major, is a Triton’s Collective founder. She served as the club’s treasurer last season and is now this season’s vice president.

“The idea of forming a collegiate dance team was my idea when I was a freshman at UOG but it didn’t happen until we found the right people who were committed to forming

UOG students auditioning for Triton’s Collective on Thursday, Jan. 31. Photo by Isabella Alvia

a team and now three years later, we have TC,” Mendiola said.

Triton’s Collective held their Spring auditions on Thursday, Jan. 31 and Friday, Feb. 1 at the UOG Calvo Field House.

The team members were selected based off their performance, technique, and style points. Unlike other dance teams on the island, Triton’s Collective is open to UOG students of

all ages, different backgrounds, and does not require previous dance experience as long as the auditionee can keep up with the choreography.

Mendiola said: “We bring diversity together, which is where we got our name, Triton’s Collective. We look for mannerism and good work ethics. We want to give off that feeling that Triton’s Collective is a family. It’s a no judgement zone.”

Diversity is a driving factor of the team as their choreography consists of an umbrella of hip hop pieces.

Accounting major Arvin Dimaqubo, and Exercise Science major Quinn Santos, are both captains of the team and are the heart of the group’s choreography.

The group meets twice a week and schedules their classes in the morning so they could practice in the afternoon.

“We have to practice for upcoming performances despite our busy college and work schedules. If you want to be a part of a club, you have to make the time for it,” Santos said.

To give back to the community, the team conducted a workshop for the sister islands of Tinian and Saipan where they donated all of the profits they made to Typhoon Yutu.

Triton’s Collective has also performed at a Yutu concert sponsored

by Okkodo High School’s dance team Hype where all the profits went to Saipan.

“I want to use our passion got give back to the community and inspire younger generations after they graduate,” Dimaquibo said.

UOG students should look forward to the team’s upcoming performances such as Charter Day, Guam Dance Community’s concert in May, and Spring Assembly.

CHamoru studies and anthropology programs host lecture

By Sophia Madlambayan

Triton’s Call Staff

The UOG CHamoru studies and anthropology programs hosted a lecture on Wednesday Feb. 6, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the CLASS Dean’s Professional Development Room.

The guest speaker, Scott Simon, discussed the relationship between indigenous groups of the Western Pacific and birds.

Simon is a full-time professor with the University of Ottawa.

He specializes in the political anthropology of indigeneity and development in the Austronesian communities of Taiwan.

His research explores the meaning of indigeneity in Taiwan and questions of political autonomy and rights to the management of wildlife.

Simon is on island collaborating with local researchers, such as Austin Shelton, executive director of the Center for Island Sustainability and assistant

professor of the UOG Sea Grant Program.

“We’re looking at the relationship between humans and other living creatures,” Simon said.

“We’ll have the biological perspective and have some collective publications.”

“Sometime next year we’re to fly to the Philippines and have a discussion with our Filipino colleagues,” Simon said.

Jesse Chargualaf, a CHamoru studies and history double major was happy with the

event’s turnout and explained the importance of understanding the link between people and animals.

“I think it’s very important for us to learn, especially since on Guam [we] have lost so much of that indigenous knowledge, about our relationships with birds and animals,” Chargualaf said. “Probably, many of us feel that we don’t have any relationship so it’s important to learn and rekindle one day.”

While he is satisfied

that these issues are being given attention Chargualaf emphasizes the importance of the local population becoming involved with ongoing projects.

“It’s important that we localize it and have a ready group of people to work on stuff like this,” he said. “We can get a lot more project going on so that we’re not having to wait for experts from the outside and maybe we can start developing ourselves as experts.”

5 University of Guam Triton’s Call, February 2019

Triton’s Collective kickstarts their second season

University of Guam Triton’s Call, February 2019

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Children interpret “Pås Familia” in this year’s ISLA Art - A - Thon

By Therese Martinez Triton’s Call Staff On Jan. 31, the ISLA Center for the Arts, opened its doors to excited children and families for the 21st Annual ISLA Art-A-Thon Exhibition.

Out of the 957 student-made artworks submitted to the ArtA-Thon, the exhibition showcased 66 pieces created using a variety of mediums, such as, crayons, colored pencils, acrylic, watercolor, and more.

This year was the first time, ISLA implemented a theme for students to follow, which was “Pås Familia” or Family Peace. The purpose was to showcase how elementary to high school students interpreted their version of family peace.

Trinity Feliciano, a

Senior majoring in Fine Arts and Philosophy, is a work-study at the ISLA Center for the Arts and contributed to different aspects of the Art-A-Thon. From verifying the number of participants and their prizes from each school, to setting up the gallery, and making certificates.

She and others who volunteer at ISLA, curated the pieces involving the elementary, middle, and high school divisions. From there, first, second, and third place winners were chosen for each division.

“The first thing we looked for, was how well the artwork fit the theme. After we established that, we kept in mind technique, creativity, completeness,” Feliciano explained.

Kirsten Castro, winner of the Elementary school division stands in front of her piece titled, A Loving Home. Photo courtesy of Therese Martinez

This year’s ISLA Art-AThon, raised $34,485, forty percent of which goes back to the participating schools, to

buy art related supplies.

Another forty percent goes to running the ISLA Center for the Arts, and the remaining

twenty percent goes to purchasing prizes for the students who participated.

Velma Yamashita, Ph. D., is an assistant professor of art and the current coordinator of the ISLA Center for the Arts.

She hopes that future submissions into the ISLA Art-A-Thon will include a larger variety of media, such as 3D, photography, and digital illustrations.

“In a way it also reflects the types of curriculum that are implemented into schools,” Yamashita said.

The next exhibit that will be showcased at ISLA, features the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Annual Research Conference, and it will run through March 8 to 15.

UOG concerned about impacts of possible government shutdowns

By James Rupert Triton’s Call Staff President Trumpˋs signature promise of a wall at the South­ ern border triggered a record 35-day gov­ ernment shutdown beg­inning Dec. 22 and ending on Jan. 25, gi­ ving lawmakers time to negotiate an agre­ement of funds on bo­rder security.

Recently, Trump declared a National Emergency to attain funding for the wall at the Southern bor­der, but signed a sp­ending bill to fund parts of the governm­ent that were due to shutdown midnight on the 16th, averting another government shutdown.​ While the federal

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is located in the in House #27 in the UOG Dean’s Circle. Photo by James Rupert

go­vernment’s recent sh­utdown has had few effects on UOG studen­ ts, programs on camp­ us receiving federal funds would be the first to be affected if funding

appropri­ations were stuck in limbo.

“During the beginning of the shut down we kept telling people don’t spend, don’t buy anything, it was a literal

halt in our step,” said Rach­ael T. Leon Guerrero, UOG director of Re­search and Sponsored Programs, said, “we had cash reserves to supp­lement

and stretch this time around, but without any reassur­ing end in sight, we might have been in a path to chaos.”

Leon Guerrero added: “This affects our ability to travel, si­nce all our expenses are federally funde­d, researchers in ne­ed to do readings, conferences, or prese­ ntations are hindere­d, and most important of all it affects their ability to get paid. We are very dependent on federal money.”​ Roughly 800,000 feder­al employees were fu­rloughed during the partial government shutdown, raising the unemployment rate by four-tenths of a percentage point.

By Eliza Casimbon Triton’s Call Staff Before Mia Madlambayan became UOG’s valedictorian of fall 2018, she believed that college was a waste of time.

“You could just start working at an entrylevel job and work your way up,” Madlambayan said.

Before enrolling at the University, she worked as a retail associate.

While working, she found that talking to her coworkers was something that came along naturally. She could see that it was easy for other people to open up to her about their personal problems

although she was a new employee.

After some time, she felt that she did not belong in the customer service industry.

Madlambayan: “So I thought that maybe I should pursue something that allows me to have these kinds of conversations.”

Realizing the occupation she desired, she registered at the University.

“Most of my friends were in GCC, working, or started UOG ahead of me. I don’t have any extended family on Guam either, so I was really coming into UOG alone,” Madlambayan said.

Mia Madlambayan, Fanuchanan 2018’s Valedictorian during her speech. Photo courtesy of UOG

After two years, Madlambayan declared her major in Psychology and Sociology.

Madlambayan said: “Psychology and sociology happened to stick out for me more than everything

else. [They] both offered a great deal of explanations to why we humans do what we do, and how we ended up doing these things.”

She shares that the support of her classmates and

inspiration of her professors was part of what helped her succeed in college.

Her family, friends, and partner were also a source of encouragement.

“My other half was my biggest supporter on especially bad times when I was stressed or doubting my ability,” Madlambayan said.

Madlambayan encourages students to have a support system while making their way through college.

She is now preparing to take the Graduate Record Examinations.

“My goal is to attend graduate school in the fall of this year or next.”

Maga’Haga Rising, a new generation of women

By Luke Scott Fernandez

Triton’s Call Staff

The Future is Famalo’an (The Future is Female) is a movement created

by Chloe Babauta and Francheska DeOro, two millennials who are active voices of CHamoru and women’s rights.

Shortly, Maga’haga Rising was formed by Babauta and DeOro in order to further promote active voices in Micronesia.

“Maga’håga Rising is an online collective created to boost and uplift young voices in Micronesia,” DeOro said.

Babauta and DeOro designed a t-shirt for the cause, which created a major influx of support and purchases from local politicians, business leaders, and the community at large.

“It was started as a way to cultivate and nurture the Famalo’an around us. Maga’håga were the strong female leaders who stood equal to the Maga’låhi (male chiefs) in leading the CHamoru people, during pre-colonial times.

Once the Spanish arrived, women leaders were forced to take a less noticeable role in guiding our people, but just last year we finally elected our first female leader,” stated DeOro. DeOro said, “We are proud to see our island lead the way with one of the only majority woman-led governments in the world. There is a thirst in our community to celebrate and continue this wonderful shift so we plan to do just that.”

Ryentte Perez, a CHamorro woman and mother said, “I feel like

any kind of initiative that brings people together in support of another group of people is truly an example of empowerment.

Maga’håga Rising as an opportunity to help our island’s daughters improve access to resources, encouragement, and motivation, for themselves and others.”

“The Future is Famalao’an” or “The Future is Female” is not new. This message first came about in the 1970s. Labyris Books, the first women’s bookstore in New York City printed shirts for feminist according to a 2015 New York Times article, and has seen a recent resurgence.

“It’s such a powerful message, today females are finally being recognized for their contributions to humanity. I tell my

daughters every day, they are lucky to be living in a time that recognizes female worth and value. So instead of ‘The Future is Famalao’an,’ ‘The Present is Famalao’an’” Perez said.

Olympia Terral, a UOG research associate for the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, said the movement excites her.

“As a long-time feminist, I am elated to see women young and old come together to work toward a just and equitable world for everyone,” Terral said.

Kimberly Mendiola, a UOG student majoring in CHamoru Studies, said she fully supports the movement.

Mendiola said: “Past generations lived in a Patriarchal society.

Having women in leadership positions

creates an equal society for both men and women.”

The duo are grateful for the amount of support they have received for Maga’håga Rising. Maga’håga Rising plans to organize community future events in Guam and California.

Currently, they are looking for contributors to create and share content for the Maga’håga Rising website so that a diverse group of active voices can be heard.

Those who would like to contribute, submit writing, share artwork, music, or other talents can visit their web site at www.magahaga. com or send an email to magahaga.rising@ gmail.com.

7 University of Guam Triton’s Call, February 2019

Fanuchånan 2018 valedictorian benefited from support system

University of Guam Triton’s Call, February 2019 8