Graphic design is everywhere, from the menus we peruse at restaurants to the newspapers we read and the street signs we follow. In California, and especially in Los Angeles, no occasion is too small for some eye-popping, quirky design — from its proudly decorated donut shops to its sleek gas stations. But graphic design is more than about making things look pretty (though that’s nice too) — it can influence what we pay attention to and how we absorb information. Artists in California have long been aware of the persuasive powers of design, using bright colors, playful typefaces, and bold shapes to push forward their ideas.

For this Sunday Edition, Hyperallergic is excited to be collaborating with Southern California’s KCET and its arts and culture series Artbound in an issue celebrating the history of graphic design and social activism in the region. The issue is being published ahead of five short films that will launch on Artbound starting Monday, June 21, with each highlighting local designers, including Emory Douglas, John Van Hamersveld, Ernesto Yerena Montejano, Dignidad Rebelde, and others. The film on Corita Kent, the beloved “Pop art nun,” premiered exclusively on Hyperallergic, and you can watch it here.

We hope you enjoy the issue, which, after perusing, you may want to revisit our Sunday Edition from this time last year about Juneteenth.