Evolution of a Dying Species, the inaugural issue of OEL Text, is about the ways in which mass media has manipulated us into accepting canned representations of the non-white population of North America and abroad. It is about the commodification of a people, the buying and selling of racial identities, the manipulation of culture. The text confronts such topical issues as the politics of race, sex, and gender.

In order to emphasize the literal message pervasive throughout the text, it was important to articulate an equally strong visual message. Rich, bold, striking color juxtaposed with muted ones, an interesting array of fonts colliding to produce a new type, the manipulation of color and texture, and different paper stocks bound together in an unconventional format emerged as elements of the journal. A strong photographic element was crucial to developing the text. Through the combined use of photography, graphic design, and writing, we were able to explore a third language which emerged when all elements came together on the page.