This essay was published within the pages of  Our National Monuments , a new book by celebrated photographer QT Luong .  I co-wrote this with Gina McGuire, a Native Hawaiian scientist who serves on the community group for the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument with me.  Our audience for this essay is all Americans, especially those who will never visit these islands and who have probably never even heard of them, and we aim to tell them why we think these islands play an important role in the American story. We are Native Hawaiians and Chamorros, born and raised on different islands with unique people.   We are connected by our values, the Pacific Ocean, and our shared commitment to protecting and understanding our oceanic resources and cultures so we can pass them down to future generations.   As stewards of Moana (the ocean), we humbly ask to share our understanding of how the significant history and natural resources of our remote Pacific Islands, places you’ve likely n