UOG Press’ newest imprint to launch 1st title on Saipan

Delegates from the University of Guam Press and the Northern Marianas College celebrate the formal signing of UOG Press’s newest imprint, Proa Publications, in February 2022 at UOG. From left, UOG senior vice president and provost Anita Borja Enriquez; UOG president Thomas W. Krise; NMC president Galvin Deleon Guerrero; and NMC vice president Frankie Eliptico. (UOG)

The University of Guam Press and the Northern Marianas College will celebrate the official launch of their newly established imprint, Proa Publications, and its first title, A Marianas Mosaic: Signs and Shifts in Contemporary Island Life on Saipan.

Proa Publications was established in January 2022 through a memorandum of understanding between UOG Press and NMC.

“A Marianas Mosaic is the first of many books that serves as a testament to UOG and NMC’s combined efforts to uplift the communities we are dedicated to serving,” said NMC president Galvin Deleon Guerrero. “As academic institutions rooted in discovery, excellence and cultural vitality, we look ahead with optimism at the opportunities arising from our continued partnership.”

UOG Press publishing director Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero said the launch of Proa Publications illustrates the publishing house’s commitment to expanding publishing opportunities throughout the region.

Proa Publications’ first title, A Marianas Mosaic: Signs and Shifts in Contemporary Island Life, will be launched at the NMI Museum of History and Culture on Saipan on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, at 5:30pm. (UOG)

“Our mission is to expand accessibility to knowledge about Micronesia through our high-quality, peer-reviewed publications,” Leon Guerrero said. “A Marianas Mosaic is a wonderful first book for Proa Publications as it features a collection of academic and literary writing about the unique experiences and perspectives of the peoples of the Marianas.”

A Marianas Mosaic was edited by Ajani Burrell with Kimberly Bunts-Anderson, both faculty at NMC. The anthology explores the many “modes, forms, and voices of life in the Marianas today,” said Burrell. “We hope it provides a partial record of contemporary dynamics in the region and helps to foster vital dialogue about those dynamics.”

A Marianas Mosaic was produced with support from the Northern Marianas Humanities Council, which views the publication as an opportunity to amplify the voices and stories of the Mariana Islands. “It is exciting to see this work published through our partner UOG Press and to bring the weave of our collective cultural tapestry of these islands into one book,” said NMHC’s executive director Leo Pangelinan.

The book’s launch will be held at the NMI Museum of History and Culture on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, at 5:30pm. Space is limited and patrons interested in attending must RSVP no later than Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 with Carla Sablan at carla.sablan@marianas.edu or (670) 237-6780/6833.

Following the launch, NMHC will host a “Meet the Authors” event and book signing at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library in Saipan on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, from 10am to noon.

Ajani Burrell, Galvin Deleon Guerrero, Leo Pangelinan and Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero

Pre-orders for A Marianas Mosaic are available now for a special launch price of $35 at uogpress.com, and sales in all local bookstores will begin after the launch.

For more information, contact Sablan or De Fant at defantv@triton.uog.edu or (671) 735-2153. (UOG)