Manzanar, Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust tells the poignant story of intergenerational women from Native American, Japanese American, and rancher communities uniting to protect their land and water in the parched Payahuunadü, once known as the “land of flowing water.” Set against the backdrop of the WWII-era Manzanar concentration camp and the majestic Sierras, the film highlights the environmental and historical struggles tied to Los Angeles’ water diversion.

Working closely with filmmaker Ann Kaneko, Zavala designed the title art, credits, and poster to reflect the film’s personal and inspiring narrative. The poster’s collage and screen printing aesthetic, paired with modernist typography, symbolizes water’s journey—its natural origins, movement, and redirection through man-made systems. Featured at over a dozen film festivals and on PBS POV, Manzanar, Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust brings a vital story of resilience to life.