READ US
At the opening of the Brazilian Congress of Reading in Campinas (Brazil, 1981) the pedagogue Paulo Freire said: “An excellent work in a popular area could be promoted by librarians, documentalists, educators and historians. The history of the area could be lifted. This set of consequent stories would be a reflection of the living history of the territory and it would have and important value for literacy courses and for other popular education activities”. The Colombian Orlando Fals Borda declared: “In the stories that are narrated within the intimacy of close encounters the heroic deeds of the ancestors live again”.
In a world that is stunned by the avalanche of new technologies which tend to unbalance the silences of the soul and the introspective processes of raising consciousness, we know that books (in both writing and reading processes) are still powerful agents of internal and external change. They promote the individual revolution as well as the community one.
We edit books and we publish them on paper, digitally or in both platforms to share our collective writing methodology. In the Library section you can read our books and download them for free. We still believe in the power of the analogue Literature so, when it’s possible and funding supports allow us, we publish our books and we distribute them through reading promotion spaces, especially among public libraries. Through Proyecto Ja’ab we published 1,000 collections of 12 books and we donated 850 of them to the General Direction of Libraries of the Mexican Ministry of Culture, distributing the 150 remaining collections through various cultural and educational institutions in our region of work.
“A SOM Editorial Colectiva le esperan muchas oportunidades en el futuro. El Proyecto Ja’ab, una aventura literaria itinerante que empezó con un sueño, ha logrado ser una metodología exitosa de activación de la participación ciudadana, la preservación de las raíces culturales, la actitud crítica y la libertad de expresión a través de la imaginación y la creatividad.”.
PEN International
“It is not common to find in public libraries books made collectively by a large group of young people wo have the desire to promote reading from their feelings. For this incredible innovation, for its genuine spirit and for all the efforts to convert libraries into spaces of social transformation we highly recommend this experience”.
International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA)
“OIJ recognizes the work that SOM Editorial Colectiva develops at the local level as well as the impact of its social transformation initiatives. We believe that SOM develops a brave and resilient project that has shown a great passion and a fervent commitment to the promotion of collective writing and reading among the new generations”.
International Youth Organization for Ibero‐America (OIJ)
“The 12 books of Proyecto Ja’ab mix the talented voices of hundreds of young visions that renew, with the innovation that this collection represents, the youth Literature sector in México and in Latin America. Public libraries are platforms of social transformation and we know that SOM Editorial Colectiva will continue generating new collective and literary dreams”.
Libraries General Direction of Mexican Ministry of Culture
“From Casa de las Américas we support the necessary activity that SOM Editorial Colectiva develops and we firmly believe that their methodology permits the connection of various Latin American regions in a very special way through books that are made by and for young people, breaking barriers and exchanging dreams, experiences and knowledges”.
Casa de las Américas
“When a project has a good methodology that expands the power of imagination, creativity and intercultural dialogue trough books it should be replicated and shared. SOM Editorial Colectiva contributes to the consolidation of SDG number 4 by promoting Human Rights, the culture of peace, the global citizenship and the appreciation of cultural diversity”.
Mexico UNESCO Office
“We support SOM Editorial Colectiva because we believe in the goodness of their intentions. Proyecto Ja’ab has undoubtedly been a magical experience that has brought together hundreds of young talents showing the power of collective writing. We would like SOM Editorial Colectiva to be able to continue expanding this methodology and consolidate it in many more international adventures”.
SM Foundation
“We recommend the work of SOM Editorial Colectiva as a regional entity that catalyzes the promotion of collective writing and reading among the new generations through books that are very special due to their genuine production and their distribution process. We encourage this organization to continue developing its valuable work and to continue making an impact in our region”.
Yucatan Ministry of Culture and Arts (SEDECULTA)
“Our world faces great challenges. Citizen participation is very important in all transformation processes. SOM Editorial Colectiva is an excellent example of the power of the spirit of young people when they are mobilized to overcome common challenges through citizen participation”.
Mérida City Council (Citizen Participation Area)