Shaira Chaer is a multi-hyphenate creative born and raised on unceded Lenape land in the Bronx, New York. Their visual art, research and writing practices are informed by blending the living archive, autoethnography, queer radical futurity and the wisdom of their ancestors across Kiskeya-Ayiti and Al-Sham. Chaer’s work and words have been showcased at Andrew Freedman Home, Bronx Arts Space, Junior High Gallery Los Angeles, New Women Space, Remezcla, Vibe Magazine and more. In spring 2025, they were an artist-in-residence at Ankhlave on Governors Island. When not obsessing over narrative, big data and communications at ReFrame, they moonlight as a steward of the Mellon Initiative for Inclusive Faculty Excellence’s RE|Organizing School (ROS) at The New School.
Chaer’s photography is a testament to the relationship grief and joy play in resistance: whether it’s capturing traditional Indigenous celebrations that reject colonial iconoclasms, marching in protest of queer kin lost to homophobic and transphobic violence, or raving in front of ICE headquarters to protest xenophobia, Chaer’s work is in communion with the long legacy of visual narratives and storytelling that archives sociocultural resistance movements from the underbelly to the mainstream, rooted in the interconnections of solidarity, collective care and liberation.
Artist-In-Residence
Montez Press at Matthew Gallery, 2017
Ankhlave Artist-in-Residence at Governors Island, Spring 2025
Community Offerings
The Vitality of Hood Feminism at Bronx Arts Space, 2017
Diaspora Radicalx Conference at Green Worker Cooperatives, 2017
Un Verano En Nueva York, Holyrad Studios, 2017
Escuelita Libre de Futuros Radicales - Radical Futures Free School at Mayday Space, 2018
Us, Too | Nosotres Tambien: On Boundaries, Consent and Sexual Violence at American Indian Community House, 2018
Mic Checks and Heart Checks: Integrating Consent and Healing Within Movement Spaces Opening Plenary with Free University New York City at University Settlement Society, 2018
Why Femmes Will Save the Earth: Interconnectivity and Ecofeminism at the Solidarity Behind Borders Conference, 2018
Our Liberation Summit at Sarah Lawrence College, 2018
Who Heals the Healer Conference at Mayday Space, 2018
Corpus Distro Community Panel at 98 Orchard, 2019
Real Hot Girl Sh*t: the Rise of the ‘Female’ Emcee workshop at Radical Love Consciousness, 2019
no bullet holes in the heroes: examining selected works by Danez Smith, 2020
our own determination to survive: examining selected works by audre lorde, 2020
Guest Lecturer, Technologies of Protest at The New School, 2022
Facilitator, ReOrganizing School, 2023-2024
Co-Steward, ReOrganizing School, 2024-2025
Poetry for the People, Workshops for Gaza, 2025
Professional Conferences
The Fight Against Racialized Disinformation panel with the Disinformation Defense League at Mozilla Fest, 2022
QAnon Network Map: Down the Rabbit Hole with ReFrame at Women’s March Women’s Convention, 2022
Narrative Weather Stationing with ReFrame at Narrative Power Summit, 2022
From Narrative Research to Narrative Action with ReFrame at Narrative Power Summit, 2022
Trans Athletes: How to Win Incusion panel with ReFrame at Creating Change, 2023
Leveraging Social Listening Towards Narrative Power with ReFrame at Narrative Power Summit, 2025
Exhibitions
“Decolonize Your Body” at New Womens Space, 2017
“Miss Representation” at Junior High Gallery, 2017
Treble FM’s Treble Tuesdays at Elsewhere Space, 2017
“The Living Room Kitchen” at Andrew Freedman Home, 2020
Newsletter: Substack