Episode 32 Fuetsan Famalao'an (Women’s Strength) - Tiningo’ Famalao’an (Women’s Knowledge), Part II (hosted by Dr. Vivian Dames) airs 8/27/10. Fuetsan Famalao'an is a community education and advocacy network mobilized in 2006 in response to the announced plan to relocate US Marines from Okinawa to Guam. Tiningo' Famalao'an is a public service campaign, sponsored by Fuetsan Famalao’an, to develop a series of television and radio messages by girls and women to educate the community about the impacts of the proposed military buildup and to promote strategies for island sustainability, the protection of human rights, and the advancement of social and economic justice. The first set of four messages have been aired on KUAM (Channel , Pacific News Center (Channel 7) and KPRG FM 89. 3.

Our guests represent a wealth of experience in the human services and on both sides of the fence: Sarah Thomas Nededog, a member of the steering committee for Fuetsan Famalao'an and Berni Grajek and Cathy Illarmo, two of the four women featured in the launch of the Tiningo' Famalao'an series. They discuss their concerns regarding the rapid population increase anticipated with the proposed military buildup and potential impacts on health and human services systems.

Ms. Nededog (sarahtn56@gmail.com) is a co-organizer of Fuetsan Famalao'an and wife of a member of the US Army National Guard. She has 33 years of experience in the human services in Guam, both public and private, non-profit sectors. She is the Executive Director of Sanctuary, Inc. and chair of Payu'ta ('our umbrella', in Chamorro, payutainc@gmail.com or www.patuyainc.org) which is sponsoring the first Annual Regional Non-Profit Congress in Guam, August 27-18, 2010 .

Ms. Grajek (berni_grajek@yahoo.com) has 15 years experience as an advocate for persons with disabilities in Guam, especially in the mental health field. Her father was a civilian employee at Andersen Air Force Base, her husband served in the Air Force in Okinawa and her brother, a member of the US Army National Guard, served several tours of duty in the Middle East. Her family is among those whose land was confiscated by the US military for the purpose of "national security' after WWII. Through the Ancestral Land Commission, this property ---which was never used for military purpose --- was recently returned to her family.

Ms. Illarmo (Catherine.Illarmo@va.gov) is a licensed clinical social worker and has 35 years in the public social services sector, with experience working with civilian families, Navy and Air Force personnel and families, and veterans. She is also the wife of a member of the US Army National Guard (retired). Her family owns property in the Pagat area which has been identified by the Department of Defense as the preferred site for the establishment of a live firing range complex. She shares part of her testimony presented at one of the public hearings convened by the Joint Guam Planning Office (JGPO) to solicit comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) released in December 2009.

For more information about Fuetsan Famalao'an and this public service campaign, contact fuetsanfamalaoan@gmail.com.

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