I am so grateful for a childhood enriched by my father, who ensured my fluency in our indigenous language and opposed US imperialism and the militarization of our islands during my formative years.
As a young child, I had the privilege of attending meetings with my parents and interacting with remarkable individuals such as MIRAIR Gabriela Ngirmang, NGIRAKEBOU Roman Bedor, Bena Sakuma, and Moses Uludong, who shared invaluable knowledge about our islands.
Although I was born in the United States, I was fortunate to have Palauan as my primary language while growing up. My proficiency in Palauan allowed me to talk with these amazing people who took the time to explain the political struggles back home and their efforts to address them even though I was so young.
My dad and other relatives shared stories of studying US history and social studies in Palau, but the absence of Palauan history in their education left a void. Similarly, my school experiences ranged from proving Micronesia's existence to enduring dismissive remarks about "little islands in the middle of nowhere."
The lack of accessible educational resources about Micronesia has been the driving force behind much of my work over the years. Two years ago, I started working on the "Micronesia Minute" web series as another effort to make our history more accessible.
By sharing our history, I hope to help fellow Micronesians who grew up away from our islands reconnect with their roots and heritage.
By sharing our history, I hope to provide a historical context for Micronesians' sociopolitical struggles at home and in the diaspora.
By sharing our history, I want to show that we are all interconnected through our indigeneity and struggles under colonialism.
By sharing our history, I hope to drive home the importance of liberation being collective.