Friday, November 23, 2007

Rose Laguana - "The Next Great American Band" on FOX

It was on my recent trip to Guam that I first read this article in the Pacific Daily News about Guam's very own Rose Laguana, the darling of "DOT DOT DOT". Tonight on FOX's reality show, "The Next Great American Band" I got to see Rose in action. She was absolutely amazing and was made for the limelight. Goo Goo Doll's John Rzeznik and Prince's former bandmate Sheila E. both commented that she single-handedly saved the band from elimination during tonight's performance.

Now, unless you come from a very small town (or in my case a small island), you'll never know how much excitement comes with the feeling of seeing "one of your people" do great things. It's almost surreal. It's almost like you're right there with them, along for the ride, experiencing their moments, albeit vicariously. I mean, I've never met Rose and she's never met me, but just knowing that she's from the same 37 mile-long "dot" in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that I come from, there's an automatic sense of support and a deep-rooted connection that makes me want to cheer her along every step of the way.

The likes of Rose Laguana, Julian Aguon, JR Hattig, Manny Crisostomo and other ambitious Chamorros have done great things and in the process have taken Guam into the spotlight with them. It's just too bad that we feel the need to leave the island to do so. Hopefully that'll soon change. Nonetheless, I'm proud of all my Chamorro brothers and sisters that set out to accomplish their desired goals. It's small town heroes like them that help make our small island feel just a little bit bigger.