Celebrating Women

Celebrating Women Pioneers of Guam

First CHamoru woman elected to the Guam Congress

Rosa Aguigui Reyes (1915-2007) is distinguished as being the first woman elected to the Guam Congress, in 1946. The Guam Congress largely was a formal advisory body that didn’t have any specific powers under the island’s military government administered by the United States Navy. Until Reyes’ election, though, all the members of the Guam Congress were men. Her election made her a pioneer in Guam’s political scene and opened the door for other women to become engaged in positions of political leadership. After serving one term she became one of the first students at the newly opened College of Guam, and in 1954 received an associate’s degree in education at the college, being part of its first graduating class.

Cecilia Cruz Bamba (1934-1986) was a community organizer, senator, businesswoman and mother of ten whose legacy is manifested in her involvement in numerous civic organizations 
 that remain active today. She is remembered most notably for championing the cause of war reparations for the CHamoru people, becoming the first CHamoru woman to testify before Congress and argue for recognition of Japanese wartime atrocities. Bamba worked tirelessly to obtain just compensation for lands taken from the CHamoru people after the war. As a result of her efforts, an 
 additional $37 million was awarded to people who lost their land.