Hear about the Chamorro and Carolinian cultures as Lone Star College-CyFair celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with Cynthia (Cyndi) Deleon Guerrero, a native Chamorro-Carolinian (aka Refaluwasch.)

Guerrero is from the island of Saipan, the largest of 14 islands that make up the Northern Mariana Islands Archipelago, a commonwealth of the United States. She has served more than 22 years as an educator in the islands and is now LSC-CyFair’s Campus Diversity Manager.

In her May 5 virtual presentation “My Journey to the Open Sea…” Guerrero will share a brief overview of that commonwealth, its history, its rich Chamorro and Carolinian cultures, and how each has impacted her life’s journey.

“Cyndi will tell her Carolinian family’s legendary short story that had been passed on by her ancestors as told to her by her grandmother,” said Dr. Jennifer Jenkins, chair of LSC-CyFair’s Diversity Committee. “She will also share how the story’s life lessons provide a glimpse into the values and principles of this vibrant group of people called the ‘Refaluwasch.’”

Moreover, Guerrero considers herself a voice for “Nesian Natives” (Micronesians, Polynesians, and Melanesians) and a strong advocate for equity in all dimensions of diversity. She said she also loves singing island songs, dancing cultural dances, and painting island sceneries in her leisure time.

Go to LoneStar.edu/cyfair-diversity for the zoom link of Guerrero’s AAPI presentation at 10 a.m. May 5 and to hear recordings of previous LSC-CyFair Diversity Committee events co-sponsored with the Lone Star College Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion this spring.

Registration is under way for LSC-CyFair May mini-mester, summer and fall classes. For information, go to LoneStar.edu/registration.