Tinian commemorates Women’s Month in March

“Cool Women, Hot Issues: Make it Happen.”

With this theme, Tinian women celebrated Women’s Month in March with small events that highlighted the role women play in the home and in the community. The month was kicked off with the Mayoral Proclamation that declared women’s empowerment, followed by later events such as the sponsorship of the Catholic Mass for Women, a Parade of Cultures, a Walk-A-Thon with the Red Cross on, and finally, a conference held March 30 and 31 with emphasis on two focal issues:  the Tinian Loves to Read Initiative and Militarization.  

Drs. Souder and Betances, world-renown inspirational speakers, focused their presentations and discussions on “ bridging the island/global divide” which were well received by women, men, and high school students who attended the conference.  

Dr. Souder emphasized the critical role of women in linking tradition, family, and their community to the global community. The links are viewed as the umbilical cords bridging these gaps.

“Your identity as people is determined by your mother language and your successful link to the global community is your ability to speak and articulate well in English as it is the global language…” Dr. Souder said.  

Dr. Betances expounded by focusing on the importance of words in the early stages of a child’s development and eventual success in school and life.  “Words are noises pregnant with meaning” and children need to learn and use them by reading to them or having them read at least 30 minutes a day, in addition to their reading time at school and home work. The Tinian women are committed to being a part of the children’s intellectual growth as well as in their physical and emotional needs.

Equally dynamic were the presentations of Dr. Natividad, a professor from the University of Guam, Guam Legislature Speaker Judy Won Pat, and Victoria Lola DeLeon Guerrero on Guam’s experience with the military build-up and saving the village of Pagat, a Chamorro ancestral place from take-over by the military for live range/artillery training activities.  

Other presenters included Dr. Glenda George-Concepcion, CGC clinical supervisor, who spoke on the different parenting styles and its perception from different cultural influences and Lawerence Duponcheel, secretary for the Tinian Cattlemen’s Association, and NMC CREES staff, who discussed the possible impact of militarization on cattle and crop productions.  

Tanya King, a member of the Public School System Board of Education commented that “the presentations and the discussion in this conference are unequivocally the most thought-provoking out of all the conferences I have ever attended, and I attended many of them.”  

15th Tinian Municipal Council executive director Joe P. Cruz said, “The information shared in this conference was powerful—very powerful.” The resident director for the Department of Labor, Jay San Nicolas, said, “I did not know what to expect when I first came to this conference, but after hearing Dr. Betances speak about the role of men as full partners with equal responsibility in the family in this day and age, I now think that I need to stop thinking like a man”.  

The Tinian women will be collaborating with the Office of the Mayor and with all individuals, but especially with the young people to thoroughly review the Environmental Impact Study due for release this Friday, April 3, 2015.

Copies of the CD of the conference will be available for sale.  Clips will be published on Youtube and subscribers may download copies for a fee through Youtube.  Detailed information will be announced following the final editing of the video.

The Tinian women wish to extend their gratitude to all sponsors and donors of their events and look forward to building a strong partnership with the local businesses, government, and members of the Tinian community. After all, we must leave the conference, remembering words inspired by Drs. Betances and Souder, of the added value collaboration can yield in bringing autonomous agencies together in working towards a common goal. (PR)