By Alex Paramo

I have written several times about the importance of exposing and teaching all of our children to use current technologies. Children from all backgrounds need to have hands-on experience with the learning tools of today and tomorrow. Contrary to the trending meme about limiting your child’s exposure to “screens and monitors” I encourage the use of technology by children.

People seem to conflate, confuse and associate technology and video-games. The purpose of this article is not to bash video games (I do not endorse violence-based games/media) but rather to promote the use of technology to promote literacy/learning and support/endorse collaborative local arts. Let us all remember that the medium is not the message. A book printed with terrible messages, like those found in Mein Kampf, is no better because those messages are on paper as opposed to a tablet/screen. Our brains are constantly evolving and changing to suit the changes in our environment. Our preoccupation should be with promoting positive message rather than on the medium messages are promoted on.

Collaboration

Multimedia Books allow for artists of all mediums to collaborate in the at of story-making. For my book, Princess Marisol & the Moon Thieves, we brought together an illustrator (Audrey McNamara), talented musicians (Matias Pizarro, Juan Ramirez, Christian Orellana), Voice Actresses (Jackie Zamora, Sofia Zamora and Marisol Paramo) and an author (Me). We also utilized the talents of Audio Engineers to help tell our story.

For my latest Multimedia Book writing endeavor, the Grand Fantastic Life of DJ Flo Fader, I am collaborating with Alex Lopez (Photographer), DJ Flo Fader (Music), and an armada of local artists such as Xian Bass and Hakim Bellamy and legendary figures from the music business such as Masta Ace and J-Live. Here is a track from the forthcoming project called appropriately enough, Elevate Your Mind (by DJ Flo Fader).

 Multiple-Media

Today our children are being bombarded with messages from multiple-media outlets: TV, Videos, Games, Books, Multimedia Book, eBooks, Blogs, Radio, Internet-Radio etc. Unlike yesterday where the “traditional” Book/Radio/TV industry was monopolized by a few and we had no alternatives, today we have the power to create our own content. Content that promotes our true values, and embraces our collaborative vision for tomorrow.

Those of us who have access to these new learning tools have a responsibility to share them with those that do not. We need to like, comment and share in order to create the world we have been longing for: a just and equitable world where we can all flourish individually and prosper as a whole.

*DJ Flo Fader produced the music for our 3rd multimedia children’s book Samuel’s Story. Available in print and digital formats get yours today! 

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Alex Paramo

Alex Paramo is an Author and Co-Founder of Community Publishing. Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia eBooks while promoting literacy in our communities.

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