Alan Caballero LaZare is a Colombian American designer, artist, and educator. His work is focused on community engagement and reimagining design history pedagogy to be more inclusive, plural, and empowering for a new generation of design students. Alan is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at George Mason University where he teaches Graphic Design History and Visual Communication Theory. His essay, “The Road to Flores de María,” will be published by AIGA in the next issue of Shifted. This tells the story of how he collaborated with community leaders to help school children in a remote village in Colombia near where his family has lived for generations. Alan utilizes the PGDA and its collections as a launching point for students to collaborate in the classroom. Using Figma, groups undertake in-depth research on the work of designers who have been excluded from the traditional Eurocentric canon but who are part of the Archive.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico,
Alberto Rigau is a seasoned designer based in San Juan. With nearly two decades in the field, his versatile practice spans a wide array of design projects, including branding, publications, exhibits, wayfinding systems, and environmental graphics. It is this work that enables him to engage with initiatives that seek to advance and impact the design discipline.Alberto is a passionate advocate for design education and community involvement. As a Board Member of Puerto Rico’s Casa del Libro, he promoted the collection’s use for academic research. In his role as Co-Chair of AIGA’s Design Educators Community, he collaborated with educators nationwide to create programs and resources that support academic research and teaching in design. Locally, he serves on the steering committee of the Design Dinners community, where he works to strengthen Puerto Rico’s design scene by fostering new connections. Recently, he joined the core team of the People’s Graphic Design Archive (PGDA) to promote the preservation and dissemination of design history.
Archana Shekara is a graphic designer and educator at Illinois State University, where she directs the Ethnic Heritage Project. Through this initiative, she connects art and design students with underrepresented communities, helping to promote storytelling and cultural preservation through design.
Shekara's work explores themes of social justice, race, and cultural identity, with an emphasis on using design as a tool for positive social change. She has collaborated with a variety of non-profits and cultural institutions on projects that amplify marginalized voices. Her research delves into race, gender, and representation in visual communication, aiming to foster inclusivity within the design industry.
Briar Levit is a Professor of Graphic Design at Portland State University. Levit’s feature-length documentary,
Graphic Means: A History of Graphic Design Production, which follows design production from manual to digital methods, established an obsession with design history—particularly aspects not in the canon. She currently collaborates on
The People’s Graphic Design Archive, with an aim to help create a more inclusive and participatory design history. Levit’s recently edited book of essays for Princeton Architectural Press,
Baseline Shift: Untold Stories of Women in Graphic Design History (2021), includes the research of 19 scholars including herself.
Brockett Horne is a designer, educator, and historian. She is Chair of the Graphic Design department at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Her work celebrates the power of provocative historical narratives, and her creative practice prioritizes engagement with the public through designed experiences. Brockett lectures widely, presents exhibitions, and writes about design as a tool for knowledge-sharing. Her current research focuses on increasing visibility for women’s contributions to graphic design. She is a board member of the People’s Graphic Design Archive and an AIGA Fellow.
Louise Sandhaus is a graphic designer, educator, and co-director of The People’s Graphic Design Archive. She is a full-time faculty member at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where she teaches in the Graphic Design Program and was formerly the Program Director. Louise’s work focuses on large-scale cultural and civic projects, particularly those related to the preservation of graphic design history. She is the author of Earthquakes, Mudslides, Fires & Riots: California and Graphic Design, 1936-1986, which explores the rich visual history of California. Louise is also a recipient of an AIGA Medal and a passionate advocate for expanding the field of graphic design history to be more inclusive of diverse voices.
Morgan Searcy is a creative lead, researcher, and strategist with a background in graphic design. Early on, Morgan worked in non-profit and branding spaces between Washington D.C. and Chicago. She supported design and creative strategy for two 2020 political campaigns: Warren for President and Jon Ossoff for Senate. Morgan also served as the Brand and Creative Director of Rock the Vote, leading digital initiatives that gained 61M+ organic impressions in the first two months. As a Co-Director, she is collaborating with The People’s Graphic Design Archive, to promote equitable collection of histories.
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