pared down interviews | expansive topics | printed never “posted”  

PARED is a hand-printed platform that features broad curated voices around central themes. Designed for distribution via pamphleteering and snail mail, I created PARED to provide a structured format for inquiring creators to explore and share their curiosities. Each issue aims to break echo chambers by connecting readers to diverse first-person perspectives and stories around a central theme. With a 15-minute reading time, PARED offers a concise yet immersive experience, hand-delivered right to the reader.

Along with offering unique topics for exploration, PARED aims to serve as an approachable structure to inspire creators to both collect and organize oral histories in this distinctive format. Each issue provides pointed glimpses into a topic through five diverse, pared-down first-person interviews, a removable poster as a keepsake, and one longer form interview that highlights a standout first person perspective on the same topic.

I like to think of PARED, in stature and functionality, as The Arizona Iced Tea of pamphlets— populist, refreshing, inexpensive, quick to consume, and recyclable.

The format for PARED consists of a trifold mailer that has strictly designed parameters and word counts to help contributors narrow down the essence of their project. Each issue revolves around a central theme that can be brought to light through interviewing people about the topic and curated using the parameters. The content parameters are: 1) a first person contributor introduction to frame their inquiry; 2) 5 personas with 750-100 characters; 3) 1 main persona 6000-7500 characters; 4) a 11x14 poster.

Are you obsessed with something and seeing it everywhere and want to interview people about it? Submit your obsession using this form or email us at risolana.abq@gmail.com with 'PARED: [Your Topic Here]' in the subject line. Share a brief description of what you are itching to explore and why it’s grabbing you. 

Enjoy,

Michael Lorenzo López