Why Do I Care?

I should say a few things about myself. I am of chamoru descent. I was born and raised in Guam. I was educated in Guam. I first left Guam in 1972 and returned in early 1974. But left Guam, again, for the U.S. mainland, in the summer of 1977, to finish college. I have remained here, in California, since then. I did not return to visit Guam until 2004 and returned, again, in 2006 and 2007. In 2004, having been away for twenty-seven years, to my relatives and friends on Guam, it was as if I had never left the Island. I realize that I will always be Chamoru.


That being said, why do I care about this special plebiscite? Is the realization that I am a chamoru enough, regardless of the fact that I do not live on Guam? Of course it is. I am proudly chamoru. I want Guam, its chamorus and guamanians to prosper and evolve politically and economically. I also believe that there are many other chamorus, like me, who want to see a prosperous Guam.