If graphic design has the power to unite and inform a community, it can be a powerful tool for social justice. My project uses this hypothesis to examine issues surrounding the community of Muscoy by conducting number of community–based case–studies.

I began my approach by conducting research on the community of Muscoy and integrating the history of the community into the final results. During this research I was also able to identify the social issues that Muscoy faces on a daily basis. Muscoy is a community in San Bernardino County, California. During the 1930s, Muscoy was largely an agricultural community. Since then, much of Muscoy has changed dramatically and has veered away from its agricultural roots. Today, Muscoy faces a number of social justice issues. The specific issues that I have chosen to focus my project on include a lack of community self-awareness, waste management and sustainability problems. I used graphic design to focus attention on these issues. I did this through a variety of different case-studies. Using graphic design to focus attention on these issues, I developed a typeface and a brand for Muscoy; an electronic info-graphic; collaborated with a third–grade class at Muscoy Elementary; designed a series of posters and posted them within the community; designed an environmental graphic using chain-link fence, and I developed a website to serve as a community hub.

R3CYCLE is a series of info–graphic posters that discuss the benefits of recycling. Recycling has the potential to improve the waste management issues facing Muscoy. Each poster shows Muscoy residents the benefits of recycling with the idea that the community could generate income from recycling. R3CYCLE shows what kind of resources that Muscoy could purchase if the community combined recyclable materials from each household.