Newsletter: Guam Club Christmas party brings joy and traditions to kids
Plus, three people walked free from immigration custody after lawyers argued that they were wrongfully detained by ICE.
Håfa adai, everyone!
At the Sons and Daughters of Guam Club last Saturday, children ran towards the table of toys as soon as it was time to pick their presents.
Aliscia Gayosso walked her son, Tobias, to the table, where he ran straight for a Nerf gun that was half his size. Her daughter, Abbygail, grabbed a Bubble Bliss Spa foot massager.
First: A little girl chooses a pink unicorn plushie to take home from the toy table. Center: Aliscia Gayosso watches her son Tobias while he holds his new Nerf gun. Last: Abbygail Gayosso (red shirt) holds up a Bubble Bliss Spa foot massager she wanted from the toys table during the Sons and Daughters of Guam Club’s Youth Program Christmas Party at its clubhouse in Lincoln Park on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego
The clubhouse hosted its Youth Program Christmas Party, where children got to meet Santa, get free toys, play games, win prizes, and eat pizza, hot dogs and traditional snacks like roskette (cornstarch cookies).
Joyce Borja, chairperson for the club’s youth program, said the goal of the Christmas party is not only to give children toys and pictures with Santa, but introduce them to the club as a home away from home.
CHamoru people are Indigenous Pacific Islanders of the Mariana Islands, which are about 6,000 miles away from San Diego. Many CHamorus born and raised in the United States don’t have the opportunity to experience the culture taught on the islands. This is where the club comes in.
A photo of the Sons and Daughters of Guam Club founders is pinned in a frame inside the clubhouse in Lincoln Park on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego
“Our culture begins with our family, but then when our parents are not around, we come here because everyone is like them,” Borja said.
The Sons and Daughters of Guam Club was established in 1953 as a place for its founding members to connect with other CHamoru San Diegans.
Now the organization has 300 members in San Diego County, holding holiday fiestas, fundraisers, a royal court and, for Christmas, the Nobenan Niño (novena).
While families enjoyed the party outside the clubhouse, other members inside participated in day two of the nine days of prayer, a Catholic practice that honors the birth of Jesus Christ. This tradition of prayer is widespread on Guam and in the Marianas, so the club holds space for it to continue.
Antolin Taijeron, president of the Sons and Daughters of Guam Club, sits with his mother while reciting the rosary during the second day of the nine-day nobena during the club’s Youth Program Christmas Party at its clubhouse in Lincoln Park on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego
Gayosso said her earliest memories of the club were going to the nobenas with her grandmother, but she stopped going to the club for years. In 2020, during the COVID-19 shutdown, she had the opportunity to participate in Zoom rosaries and even learned how to recite them in CHamoru. This reignited her memories of the Guam Club and motivated her to bring her kids, who are half CHamoru and half Mexican.
“I wanted to start bringing [my kids] here because I had such good memories when I was younger,” she said.
First: Volunteer Kerie Jones serves food to guests. Center: Sons and Daughters of Guam Club’s 2025 Royal Princess Vanessa Ann Wizner mans a facepainting station. Last: John Quichocho, assistant chair for the Sons and Daughters of Guam Club’s Youth Program, sits to eat at a table. Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego
First: Santa arrives at the Sons and Daughters of Guam Club pavilion. Last: Santa gives out free candy to children. Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego
John Quichocho, assistant chair of the club’s youth group, said he grew up going to the Guam Club and raised his daughter there.
“A lot of the CHamorus out here were born and raised in the mainland, so this gives us an opportunity to learn about our culture,” he said.
Borja emphasized that the club helped her strengthen her CHamoru speaking skills and learn to cook island delicacies that her mother never cooked before.
“I started coming here and I started asking, ‘Oh, what is that? What is that?’ Now I can cook them at home,” she said with a laugh.
Gayosso said her kids know how to say their body parts in CHamoru. They know how to say, “Håfa adai,” and they’re familiar with the food, but there are some things that can only be taught through a community. She plans to bring her kids around more so they can learn about CHamoru traditions the way she did.
— Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Allyship with the LGBTQ+ community is a year-round commitment, but when it comes to the holiday season, some extra support from supportive friends, families and community members can help make this time more comfortable and affirming for LGBTQ+ individuals.
— Sam Barney-Gibbs
Three people walked free from immigration custody on Friday after lawyers argued that they had been wrongfully detained by ICE. The attorneys hope to use the class action case to help others in similar situations.
— Kate Morrissey
With the holiday season well underway, San Diegans are celebrating with a boat parade, Hanukkah happy hour and community potluck. For non-holiday events, there’s a meeting of a French language club at Frenchy’s Hideout and a wellness panel discussion at The Block Club.
— Lauren J. Mapp
Other news
KPBS followed the story of San Diego County Department of Animal Services’ assistant director Rachael Borrelli, who in a recorded voice message, encouraged more “shit dogs” to be euthanized. Borrelli issued an apology statement later on, but sources call her statements in the letter false and inconsistent.
KPBS reported that City of Imperial officials are suing Imperial County officials in order to halt the construction of a massive data center in the middle of the small city. The lawsuit accuses the officials of violating California’s environmental laws and local codes by moving the project forward without certain hearings, permits and environmental review. Imperial City Manager Dennis Morita said they decided to file a lawsuit because county officials seemed to be quickly moving forward on the big-scale project with little public input.
Lavender Names Project, a collection of stories about government persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals, is accepting story submissions that might eventually be exhibited at the American LGBTQ+ Museum in New York, according to KPBS.
Construction of 100 affordable apartments will begin Thursday in San Ysidro. The Iris will be a new transit-oriented community with 27 one-, 32 two- and 36 three-bedroom apartment homes for families and individuals earning less than 60% of the area median income, reported NBC San Diego.
Voice of San Diego wrote that San Diego County is forced to cancel 21 behavioral health contracts with agencies that provide preventative services due to the reforms of a 2024 ballot measure. These agencies now have to find other ways to sustain their services.
Upcoming Events
Dec. 18
Winter Wonderland: Southern Indian Health Council is hosting a Grinch-filled, family holiday event. The evening includes photos with Santa Claus, presents for kids, food, games and activities. Register online. 4 - 7 p.m., Viejas Recreation Center, 1b Viejas Grade Road, Alpine, CA 91901
Satya on the Block: Seeking Satya and The Block Club are hosting the inaugural episode of the “Green Couch Conversations” focused on wellness with community. The panel will include Tribe Fitness Club owner Robbin Ward, personal trainer and yoga instructor Jonzi Jones, and licenses marriage and family therapist Gloria Saldana. RSVP for free online. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., The Block Club, 6403 Imperial Ave., San Diego, CA 92114
Dec. 19
Holiday Mixer and Toy Drive : The San Diego Latino Professionals is hosting a holiday mixer and toy drive at the New Americans Museum. They're accepting unwrapped toys or gift cards to support the Jackie Robinson YMCA Christmas with Character Celebration. Tickets are sold at a sliding scale. 5:30-8 p.m., 2825 Dewey Rd. #102, San Diego, CA 92106
Dec. 20
Water and Kindness Free Store: Every Saturday, Water and Kindness hosts a free store at Popup Winona where visitors can donate items or get needed supplies. The group is seeking donations of baby formula, bags, blankets, diapers, first aid items, harm reduction supplies, hats, gloves, hygiene products, mobility aids, rolling carts or wagons, shoes, sleeping bags, socks, tarps, tents, undergarments and water. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., 4951 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, California, 92115
Bilingual Tide Pool Hikes: Wildlife and conservation biologist Francisco Basso and oceanographer Blanca Velazquez are leading tide pool hikes under Scripps Pier in La Jolla both Saturday and Sunday. The hike is rated “hard” due to sharp and slippery, algae-covered rocks. The hikes will be led in both English and Spanish. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for kids under 15 and free for kids under 4. Find directions to meeting location and registration online. 3:30 - 5:30 p.m., 8650 Kennel Way, La Jolla, CA 92037
Community Potluck: The City Heights Defense Committee is hosting a community potluck with free food, piñatas and a live cumbia band. 4 p.m., Church of Nazarene in Mid-City, 4101 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92105
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Updated on Dec. 18, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. to correct the photograph dates.
