Guam's very own Vincent Reyes of the Inetnon Gef Pa'go cultural arts program, inc. was named a finalist for the Lewis Prize Award for Music 2024 Accelerator Award.

The award, founded in 2018 by philanthropist Daniel R. Lewis aims to recognize leaders across the country who are creating positive change through youth music programs.

KUAM spoke with Reyes to find out his reaction to the cultural program being honored as an organization advocating for creative youth development in underserved communities on Guam.

For over 20 years Inetnon Gef Pa’go has provided a platform for inspiration, possibility, and excellence in Chamorro performance arts. The program's creed still holds true, to always remember where you came from and humbly unite to stand tall for our people, our island and our culture.

Keeping to the creed, the program and its members have performed all over the world, taking part in several festivals and competitions, and have brought back many awards. Most recently, Director Vince Reyes and the program were named one of eleven finalists for the Lewis Prize Award for Music 2024 Accelerator Award.

Upon hearing the news, Reyes was beyond excited,

“Extremely honored and grateful to be among the nation's top creative youth programs. when we were first announced to be a finalist, I was like this was kind of cool, this is nice- we've never been recognized nationally especially in music.”

He continued, “To know that are kids from the south, just doing our thing to perpetuate our culture to reclaim our identity has reached the national level. I'm overwhelmed with joy and extremely ecstatic of course!”

Winners of the award will receive $500,000 dollars toward their program and efforts. Reyes says if they come out victorious, that money could do so much for the program.

“We want to definitely reshape or rather refresh Inetnon Gef Pa’go. I want to listen to the kids more and see what it is out there and needed, listen to our community partners, I want to listen to the community, and figure out programming that fits what we need to reclaim our identity to use arts and music to be able to empower our kids, to develop them into cultural practitioners or artists and really listen to their voice and feel they are the tools to help move this island forward,” He said.

The winners of this incredible award will be announced in early January but Reyes did want to make sure he got this message out,

“I am just so proud of us and our culture, and we just want to continue to do good and really make our island continue to be inspired and an example that anything is possible and that our culture does matter.”

Good luck to Vince and everyone who makes Inetnon Gef Pa’go what it is today!