Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems, Inc.
SINCE 2008 or thereabouts there was a movement in America to eliminate the use of the word “retarded” as it is a hurtful and degrading word.
Since I was in grade school, the word was used around me almost daily. It was used to humiliate the struggling students. It was used to bring down those who stood out. It was used to belittle anyone who was different.
WE the people of Micronesia, have a long legacy of strong men who charm, memorialize, and lead the rest of us to better things. One such individual was the late David Kapileo Peter a.k.a. “Taulamwaar.”
I call him uncle, and will always remember how he talked about making the CNMI a hub for travel in the Pacific. He had great ideas that were sound and simple to a degree. He was ambitious about promoting Saipan and the CNMI into a stronger economic state than what it was or is now. He spoke about how, we, people of minority do not have to sit quietly while others run the show. These are our islands, and its future should be in our hands.
RECENTLY my granddaughter pointed to a person walking along the road and said with disgust, “That person is an ice-head.” I asked what made her think that. Did she talk to the person? And she replied, “No, but that’s what everybody says.”
Continue reading “Oct 23 2015: Mental illness. JEANNE H. RAYPHAND”
October was proclaimed Behavioral Health Awareness Month and on Oct. 10, 2015, it was celebrated as World Mental Health Day. This year the theme of is “Dignity.” Webster’s defines dignity as “the quality of being worthy of honor or respect.”
Continue reading “Oct 22 2015: With dignity. Greg Borja”
JUNE 2015 is National Student Safety Month.
This is a time in which we look at the overall safety of our students when it comes to planning for natural disasters, technology, infrastructure, man-made disasters, biological awareness, physical well-being, and student culture and climate. We must also take into consideration our students with disabilities when developing our plans to address these areas. Continue reading “June 17 2015: Student Safety First. GREG BORJA”
WHEN I first arrived on Saipan in 1991, and found out about ice or methamphetamines. I was surprised that it cost so much, maybe a hundred dollars for ice the size of a grain of rice, according to someone who tried, but failed to sell it to me. Continue reading “June 16 2015: Ice has no place in our paradise. Thomas M. Thornburgh”
SOME years ago the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a graphic novel, “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse,” providing tips to survive a zombie invasion as a “fun new way of teaching the importance of emergency preparedness.” Continue reading “May 08 2015: Icehole Zombies. Jim Rayphand”
The Autism Society of the CNMI is having two big events this month to promote the awareness and inclusion of people with autism in the CNMI.
Continue reading “April 09 2015: Hot Dog Walk & Quiz Nite 4. Thomas M. Thornburgh”
Since 2008, I have been working closely with folks from the Autism Society of the CNMI, better known as, ASCNMI. In this time, I have come to know many of our people with autism. It may surprise you to learn that our people with autism have contributed to the CNMI in many ways. It is truly inspiring to see them rise above their disability to live their lives more fully. Here are three examples of our people with autism from the ASCNMI who have in their own way contributed to our islands:
Continue reading “April 07 2015: Our people with autism in the CNMI. Thomas M. Thornburgh”
In remembrance of my “Older Brother,” Pastor Wichep, who succumbed to cancer recently—half a world away from his island home, Lukunor. And, in honor of the countless people who have lost their lives to cancer. Continue reading “April 07 2015:‘Strong heart’—somewhere outside of Charlottesville, VA. Jim Rayphand”