Guam's First Women

Going through my files tonight trying to find stuff for my Guam History class that I'll be teaching starting tomorrow and I came across the following list. Every March, people on Guam celebrate Chamorro month. This is a wonderful change from the past when there was little to no positive public recognition of Chamorro culture, language and peoplehood. But at the "national" level, March is also supposed to be a month for celebrating women, as Women's History Month. The list that I found in my notes was from the American Association of University Women and their Guam Chapter, after they researched a list of Chamorro female "firsts" to be presented March of 1991. The list is very interesting and informative even if some of their choices could be questioned.

Some of the names might be familiar to you, whereas others might be lost to history.

**********************

Rosa Roberto Carter
First Chamorro woman to be president of a university (UOG)

Doris Flores Brooks
First Chamorro woman to become a certified public account

Katherine Bordallo Aguon
First Chamorro woman to earn a Ph.D.

Dr. Olivia Taitano Cruz
First Chamorro woman to become a medical doctor

Elizabeth Barrett-Anderson
First Chamorro woman to be Guam's attorney general

Maria Roberto
First Chamorro nurse

Maria Garrido Blaz and Olivia Siguenza Leon Guerrero
First Chamorro woman to be registered nurses

Katherine Long Campbell
First Chamorro woman to become an attorney

Rosa Aguigui Reyes
First Chamorro assemblywoman (1947-1949)

Cynthia Torres Johnston and Lagrimas Leon Guerrero Untalan
First Chamorro woman to become Senators (1955-1956)

Antonia Benancia
First Chamorro businesswoman

Emma Charfauros Mendiola
First Chamorro woman to join the US military (1953-1957)

Julita Manibusan and Consolacion San Nicolas
First Chamorro women to graduate from the Guam Territorial College

Carmen Cruz
First Chamorro woman to graduate from UOG (1962)

Inez Underwood
First Chamorro woman to graduate from college in a religious order

Ana Leon Guerrero
First Chamorro policewoman

Cecilia Cruz Bamba
First Chamorro woman to advocate for war reparations

Hope Alvarez Cristobal
First Chamorro woman to be an indigenous rights activist

Remedios Leon Guerrero Perez
First Chamorro woman to be a primary school principal

Agueda Iglesias Johnston
First Chamorro woman to be a secondary school principal

Elizabeth Salas-Balajadia
First Chamorro woman to become an engineer

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