[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 122 (Friday, July 22, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF REILLY ALBERT RIDGELL

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. MICHAEL F. Q. SAN NICOLAS

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 22, 2022

  Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
legacy of Reilly Albert Ridgell. Reilly was an esteemed author, devoted 
educator, and inspiring leader whose scholarship and stories have and 
continue to impact our island, region, and nation. Our community will 
fondly remember him as a passionate advocate and ally whose 
contributions meaningfully cultivated new spaces for Pacific peoples to 
rise.
  After graduating from Pacific Palisades High School, Reilly earned a 
bachelor's degree in political science from the University of 
California, Los Angeles. By 1970, he obtained a master's degree in the 
field from the University of California, Santa Barbara and soon after, 
answered the call of the Peace Corps in the Western Islands of Chuuk, 
Micronesia. Working to advance the organization's mission to realize 
greater inclusion and global equity, Reilly served as a teacher in the 
island state for a total of four years. He further expanded his 
contributions and involvement across the region to include 
opportunities in Guam as a private school teacher, progressive rock 
disc jockey, and as an assistant professor and Dean of Trades and 
Professional Services at the Guam Community College (GCC).
  Upon identifying an evident void in teaching materials about the 
Pacific Islands, Reilly took it upon himself to begin the important 
work of closing a persisting gap in knowledge. Following extensive 
research, countless hours of writing, and meaningful collaborations, he 
published two textbooks, an anthology of Peace Corps stories, and two 
novels entitled Pacific Nations and Territories, Pacific Neighbors, 
Bending to the Trade Winds, Green Pearl Odyssey, and Isla Vista 
Crucible, respectively. Since 1983, thousands of copies of his works, 
their subsequent editions, and numerous derivatives have been sold and 
continue to be used extensively across the Pacific. Moreover, his works 
have gained several regional and national accolades including Regional 
Lit Category honorable mention and Compilations/Anthology Category 1st 
place at the 2015 Pacific Rim Book Festival, top honors at the 2014 
Southern California Book Festival, and honorable mention at the Eric 
Hoffer Book Awards.
  Reilly Albert Ridgell was an innovative writer and changemaker who 
continues to inspire many throughout our island and region. His 
dedication to amplifying the voices, stories, and histories of our 
Pacific people has materially elevated our presence in classrooms far 
beyond our borders, actively shaped our community consciousness, and 
empowered our people with greater sociopolitical agency. My family and 
I wish to extend our hearts and prayers for Reilly, his wife, Blora; 
their children, Clynton and Joel; and the rest of their family and 
friends, and I join the people of Guam in remembering and celebrating 
his life and legacy of directing one's personal gifts and passions 
toward uplifting others. He will be dearly missed, and his love and 
memories will forever remain in the hearts of the people of Guam.

                          ____________________