Typhoon Mawar, Guam devastation

Typhoon Mawar hit my beloved homeland of Guåhan (Guam) hard these last few days, and my immediate family needs immediate support.

My niece, Kim, and her family lost their entire house and all their belongings. They currently are without shelter, food, clothing, etc. They literally only have the clothes on their backs. Their 2 oldest girls just started college this past year and are separated from their parents, as travel is limited. We are trying to put them in touch with their mom. They currently do not have a house to come home to.

My nephew, Jordan, and his young family are without a home as well, as their roof blew off the house and the house is flooded. They have a 6 year old and an infant.

My sister, Leilani, is housing all families at her own house, which sustained flooding damage and significant wind damage. They are without power, and have limited access to phone communication.. A lot of families on Guam are suffering right now, and I’d like to help out with money for basic needs: clothing, food, health care.

Påkyo siha (typhoons)have always been a concern for our islands since CHamorus first inhabited Laguas yan Gani, but climate change has contributed to increasingly warm waters, which fuels mega storms that cause much more damage in our current world. Though island nations and Indigenous communities contribute the least in terms of carbon emissions that affect climate change, we experience the impacts first and most devastatingly. We look to a future to not only save our islands, but our people, culture, and language. We must unite and demand change to the unchecked policies of hypermilitarization and capitalism that leave behind a trail of oppression and destruction, in order to begin to hope to restore balance.