Daily Archives: June 11, 2010

My JEM Interview: “Roxy Rumbles” for Literacy by Jina Bacarr

Imagine if you couldn’t read.

You’d miss out on connecting with friends at Facebook, couldn’t check your bank account (though at times you’d rather not), never be able to write a grocery list (can’t forget the chocolate chip cookies), check out the menu board at Starbucks for the latest latte sensation.

Or read the fabulous posts here at OCC Slice of Orange.

Hard to imagine that at one time in history being “literate” meant that a person could sign his name. It later evolved to mean that you could read Latin. During the early days of Queen Victoria, close to fifty percent of all women signed their marriage certificate with their “mark” on their wedding day because they couldn’t write.

It wasn’t until later in the nineteenth century that books became affordable to everyone.

Yet literacy is still a problem. According to a story in USA Today by Greg Toppo, a study in 2009 estimates that “…32 million adults in the USA—about one in seven—are saddled with such low literacy skills that it would be tough for them to read anything more challenging than a children’s picture book or to understand a medication’s side effects listed on a pill bottle.”

More than ever, it’s important to read, read, read. It spurs our imagination, educates us and gives us the opportunity to explore new and exciting worlds.

Reading books is just as important today as it was when I wrote a cartoon script for the girl band series JEM and the Holograms called “Roxy Rumbles.”

Roxy, the “bad girl,” can’t read, which gets her into all kinds of trouble.

You can see the first part of my “Roxy Rumbles” episode here (next 2 parts are listed on this same page):I am delighted to discover that JEM is still popular–and my message about reading more important than ever.

I was recently interviewed by Steve Savicki on his website devoted to JEM.

Read my interview here and find out all about this fab series!

Best,
Jina

The Blonde Samurai: “She embraced the way of the warrior. Two swords. Two loves.”

Jina Bacarr is also the author of The Blonde Geisha ,
Cleopatra’s Perfume, Naughty Paris, Tokyo Rendezvous, a Spice Brief, and Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs

visit my website: http://www.jinabacarr.com/