Isa Arriola (Chamorro) was born and raised on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. Her life’s work has centered on exploring the complexities of social life among the Indigenous Chamorro people, as well as the Refaluwasch community in the Marianas and Micronesia more broadly. Her early research interests were sparked by the concern over the staggeringly high rates of suicide throughout Micronesia. This early interest led her to explore the role of the Marianas in the context of United States imperialism and militarism globally. Isa’s dissertation research focused on the complex intersections of militarism, indigeneity and the environment in the Northern Mariana Islands amidst the contemporary restructuring of United States forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Her work draws on the intersection of various fields including: Indigenous Studies, Pacific Island Studies, Anthropology and Political Ecology. As an educator, Isa’s research is inextricably linked to her personal commitment to decolonization throughout Oceania.