Our Story: From Silence to Storytelling

Avila Production Presents began with something far more personal than a business idea. It began with a father trying to help his young son find his voice again.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 shutdown, Alex Avila became seriously ill with COVID. His son, Lex, had just turned three. The experience was frightening for the family, and in the period that followed, Lex experienced a dramatic change in his speech and communication.

Before that time, Lex had developed an extraordinary love for words and reading at a very young age. But suddenly, the little boy who had been learning hundreds of words struggled to communicate verbally.

Alex and his family sought professional support, including speech pathology and regular therapy sessions. They were also encouraged to keep Lex active, engaged, and connected to the world around him through sports, outdoor activities, play, and experiences that could help build his confidence.

That advice became an important part of their family's journey.

Finding His Voice Through Imagination

During the shutdown, father and son spent countless hours together at home. While making breakfast and lunch, Alex began inventing stories for Lex.

Lex loved dinosaurs, volcanoes, adventures, animals, and anything that allowed his imagination to run free.

Instead of constantly focusing on what Lex could not say, Alex began focusing on what fascinated him.

They imagined dinosaurs roaming through neighborhoods. They talked about volcanoes, mysterious rocks, adventures, and characters. Alex would ask questions and allow Lex to guide the stories wherever his imagination wanted them to go.

Little by little, words began returning.

Then came a moment Alex will never forget.

After months of therapy, activities, encouragement, and storytelling, Lex began speaking more—and eventually asked his father a question that would change their lives:

"Can I write a book?"

The answer was yes.

The Beginning of Lex's Adventures

Together, Alex and Lex created their first children's book, Lex's Adventures: The Lost Lava Rock.

For Alex, publishing the book was never simply about becoming an author. The book represented something much larger: his son's voice, confidence, imagination, and ability to create again.

And Lex didn't stop there.

After completing that first book with his father, he went on to write his next three books himself.

What began as a family activity during one of the most difficult periods of their lives became the foundation for something neither of them originally planned: Avila Production Presents.

From Recovery to Possibility

Today, Lex's story looks very different.

He has earned honor-roll recognition at school, competed in multiple sports, been selected as an All-Star for his PONY baseball team, developed into an impressive young basketball player, written four children's books, begun designing clothing, explored entrepreneurship, and is now developing his first film and working toward his fifth book.

Sports remained an important part of that development—not simply because of competition, but because they provided movement, confidence, friendships, discipline, and another environment where Lex could express himself.

The same child whose family once worried about whether he would regain his ability to communicate is now becoming a writer, storyteller, athlete, designer, filmmaker, podcaster, and young entrepreneur.

Why Avila Production Presents Exists

Our journey changed the way we think about literacy.

Literacy is not only about asking children to sit down and read.

Sometimes literacy begins with a dinosaur.

Sometimes it begins on a basketball court.

Sometimes it begins while a parent is making breakfast.

Sometimes it begins with drawing, filmmaking, animals, fashion, music, sports, podcasting, or simply allowing a child to talk about something they love.

That is why Avila Production Presents connects books with experiences.

We want to work with families, schools, educators, therapists, community organizations, businesses, and industry partners to create experiences that encourage children to read, speak, write, move, explore, imagine, and create.

Our work will continue to include children's literature, family literacy experiences, school programs, live and interactive learning, sports, the Alex & Lex Podcast, short films, youth entrepreneurship, clothing and merchandise, and partnerships across different industries.

Turning Our Experience Into a Resource for Other Families

We know our family's experience will not look exactly like another family's journey.

But we also know how valuable it was to have professionals who encouraged us, provided resources, and reminded us to keep Lex engaged with the things that brought him joy.

Now we want to give something back.

Avila Production Presents is being built as a platform where families can discover stories, educational experiences, creative opportunities, resources, community connections, and inspiration.

We want parents to know that learning can happen almost anywhere.

We want educators to see the power of connecting literacy to children's real interests.

We want companies and sponsors to see an opportunity to invest not simply in another program, but in a growing ecosystem designed around children, families, creativity, literacy, and opportunity.

And we want children to understand something Lex discovered very early:

Your voice matters. Your imagination matters. And your story may become the beginning of something much bigger than you ever imagined.

From a Father and Son to a Family Mission

Avila Production Presents was not created in a boardroom.

It grew out of a father and son sitting together during an uncertain time, creating stories and trying to find their way forward.

Today, those stories have become books.

The books are becoming programs.

The programs are becoming podcasts, films, products, workshops, and partnerships.

And what began as one family's journey is becoming a mission to help other families read together, create together, stay active together, dream together, and build something together.

This is our story. And we're only getting started.