The Guam Society of  America (GSA) in Washington, D.C. currently has about 148 family members from around the nation’s capital and throughout the United States.  Its purposes are : 1) to foster and encourage educational, cultural, civic and social programs and activities among the members and friends of the Society in the District of Columbia and its surrounding communities, and throughout the United States and its territories. 2) to foster and perpetuate the Chamorro language, culture and traditions.  Any Chamorro ( a native of Guam, Saipan or any of the Mariana Islands) or any person who has a bona fide interest in the purposes of the Society is eligible for membership. 

The Guam Society was originally known as the Guam Territorial Society until 1985 when its name was changed to its current form.  The Society was first organized in 1952 when a group of  Chamorros living in the DC area decided to form an organization to represent Guam in the Conference of State Societies, which was formally created on April 3, 1952 by an act of  Congress (66 Stat.412 Pub. Law 293, 82nd Congress, HR 4467) to promote friendly and cooperative relations between the various State and Territorial Societies in the District of Columbia and to foster educational, cultural and civic activities in the District of Columbia and surrounding communities. 

There aren’t many of the original members of the Society still in the Washington D.C. area.  Mr. Tony Baza is one of the original members who still maintains ties with the Society.  The Society selected their first princess, Eloise Johnston, who was attending college in the area, to represent Guam at the National Cherry Blossom Festival in 1952.  Eloise is the daughter of the late Agueda Johnston, a renowned educator in Guam. The Society has provided a princess for every festival since then.  Two of the Guam princesses were selected as Queen of the Festival. Angela Bamba McClees was selected in 1982 and Tonya Manibusan  was selected ten years later in 1992. The Queen went to Japan to represent the U.S. at the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival. 

The Society was formally chartered as a non-profit , 501-C3 tax exempt, corporation in the District of Columbia on October 13, 1976.  The Society became eligible for funds from the United Way Campaign with the funds used for the formal teaching of the Chamorro language to anyone interested in the language.  The students were primarily spouses of Chamorros or children of Chamorros who were born in the States.  This was an important function of the Society until 1993 when two of  their teachers, David and Maria Perez left the DC area.  David and Maria were teaching classes as large as 20 students from 1989 to 1992.   The immediate past president of the society, Captain John Salas, assisted them in teaching some of the classes. Under current president Lou Barrett, GSA sponsors receptions for the numerous Guam visitors to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area who are here for conferences and workshops.  GSA members have held receptions for the CLOSE-UP Foundation students and chaperones, the Archbishop of Guam and marchers for the Presidential Inauguration Parade.   Upcoming club events include the Cherry Blossom Ball on March 27 and the first ever 
GSA golf tournament on June 25. 

GSA membership rates vary from $20 a year for a family to a donation.  For more information, please contact Juan Salas at JSALASVA@aol.com or Juanit Naude at JMNaude@erols.com