Book launch of 'Mames Yan Matias' book sheds light on the foster care experience on Guam

Wednesday marked the official launch of Mames yan Matias, a groundbreaking new book written for and about the children in our foster care system. 

Among its contributors: Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood.

“I’m very honored to have worked on this,” said Tydingco-Gatewood.

“The reason why I was so inspired to work on this particular book is because when I was a Superior Court judge years ago, I had a lot of cases, but I had one very big case involving a big family of about seven or eight children,” added Tydingco-Gatewood. 

Today on Guam, over 700 children live within the foster care system. 

Mames yan Matias follows two island children as they navigate the heartbreak of family separation, shedding light on a process that is often misunderstood and painful.

Principal author Carmen Ulloa-Kasperbauer said it was a deeply personal and meaningful mission.

She shares that the moment of separation is one of the most painful and least understood parts of the process and adds, “To help create something that offers our community a way to better understand how the system works—it’s truly an honor.”

Another contributing author, President of the Guam Bar Association, Jacqueline Taitano Terlaje, spoke directly to those gathered at the launch.

“We're celebrating a lot of different things in this one book. More importantly we're celebrating our children who live in the system and trying to help them understand the system. That was the goal of this book. To explain who all these people are, being introduced to me. What are they people doing here? And why am I here? Am I living this by myself, am I alone,” said Terlaje. 

Written with both children and adults in mind, Mames yan Matias is more than just a book, it’s a bridge. 

Using repetition, interactive prompts, and culturally relevant language, it opens a window into the world of foster care with empathy and accessibility.

“Its also to recognize the work of our child protective services people also of Harvest House,” added Terlaje. “I was introduced to Bethany because of the fact that I too served as a foster mother.”

From classrooms to living rooms, Mames yan Matias are already sparking conversations, building understanding, and offering comfort to children caught in uncertain times.

The project was made possible through the unwavering support of the Guam Bar Association, the Guam Economic Development Authority and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Guam, Joshua Tenorio, who has long championed the rights and wellbeing of children in foster care.

With this shared vision, Mames yan Matias becomes not just a story but a statement. A testament to the power of empathy, education, and community in transforming lives.

A step forward in healing. A tool for change. 

Mames yan Matias, an important resource for the future of Guam’s children.