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 鈥淥ur darlin鈥� will be missed,鈥� says Joey San Agustin, Perez Howard鈥檚 first cousin who remembers with fondness how the late author called those he loved 鈥渄arlin鈥�.鈥� 

Perez Howard passed away earlier this week in the Philippines. He was 82. 

Alongside Perez Howard鈥檚 family and close friends, UOG Press honors the author鈥檚 legacy and contributions to both the literary and island community. Perez Howard published two books with the UOG Press 鈥� 鈥淢ariquita鈥擱evisited鈥� and his latest title, 鈥淛uanit.鈥� 

鈥淢r. Perez Howard and his writing inspired many of us to use our skills as writers and artists to tell our people鈥檚 story in a way that would provoke critical conversations and inspire greater visions for a more just future,鈥�

shared UOG Press Director of Publishing Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero, who worked closely with Perez Howard as an editor of both 鈥淢ariquita鈥擱evisited鈥� and 鈥淛uanit.鈥� 

 鈥淚 will always cherish the time and friendship I shared with Mr. Perez Howard and the many deep dives we took into our island鈥檚 history and political issues. It was an honor to work with him and he will be sorely missed.鈥�    

Perez Howard was a founding member of the Organization of People for Indigenous Rights (OPI-R). The organization addressed issues of self-determination, war reparations, land rights, and historical preservation; and spoke out against nuclear warfare, an issue that persists to this day.

 鈥淐hris Perez Howard has left a legacy as an acclaimed CHamoru author and community advocate,鈥� UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez said. 鈥淗is works and passion for our island and its history will be remembered for generations.鈥� 

UOG President Emeritus Robert Underwood, a close friend of Perez Howard, said, 鈥淐hris was a leader in the struggle for CHamoru self-determination, an insightful writer, and a relentless advocate for fairness in all aspects of our existence.鈥�   

Perez Howard鈥檚 advocacy is heavily present in his writing. Through his work, he showed how mediums such as storytelling and painting can be used to promote literacy, build connections, understand oneself, and preserve culture. 

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 start out as a writer,鈥� Perez Howard said in an interview that aired during the launch of 鈥淛uanit鈥� in July. 鈥淚 was a painter. When I came back to Guam, especially when I started getting this information about Guam history in the writing of Mariquita, I had a lot to say, and painting wasn鈥檛 the way I could reach the largest audience. So, I think out of frustration, I turned to writing to say it.鈥� 

The celebrated author credits his advocacy to his mother, Mariquita Perez Howard, whom he honors in "Mariquita鈥擱evisited." The novel, originally published in 1982, chronicles his mother鈥檚 enduring strength during the Japanese occupation of 骋耻氓丑补苍 and urges readers to remember the sacrifices of those who lived during the tragedies of the war and its lasting impacts. 

It was Perez Howard鈥檚 fervent hope that his stories would inspire readers to honor the memory of those who came before them, and to love all the aspects of their own identities that make them who they are.

A memorial service celebrating Perez Howard and his impactful work will take place in September. Details for the service will be forthcoming from UOG Press on all media platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @uogpress.