Franceska De Oro

Franceska De Oro emerging from a dark pool of water in her native Guam
Ms. Franceska De Oro, Youth Indigenous and Environmental Activist from Guåhan (Guam)

Franceska De Oro is an Indigenous Chamoru and Micronesian youth environmental activist, native rights advocate and yoga teacher. She began her activism against militarization as a high school student when the Department of Defense released the draft environmental impact study for the relocation of 5,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam in 2010. Franceska spent the last ten years learning from leaders in the local decolonization movement as well as in the Northern Mariana Islands and volunteering with many environmental and political advocacy groups such as Independent Guåhan, Prutehi Litekyan, and Micronesia Climate Change Alliance. She is the designer and co-founder of Maga’håga Rising; an indigenous Chamoru women empowerment brand that promotes wellness, creativity, and self-love through fashion, writing, and art. Eating in indigenous ways has been her main focus for her wellness journey along with connecting to the land, sea, and ancestors through movement and meditation. You can follow along on her personal adventures on Instagram @youngbiha, and see her work on magahaga.com

Ms. Franceska De Oro will be representing Heirs to Our Oceans as a keynote speaker at the Ocean Climate Action Webinar, April 29th, hosted by the Center for the Blue Economy at MIIS and Blue Frontier.  Learn more about the webinar at the Ocean Climate Action Plan webpage.