THE ROBERT GIARD GRANT FOR EMERGING
LGBTQ+ PHOTOGRAPHERS

Chad Unger, 2023 Finalist

Chad Unger (b. 1993) is a Deaf-Queer visual artist originally from Maryland, currently based in Los Angeles. Growing up with a deaf family, actively involved with the deaf community, and primarily communicating through American Sign Language, Chad's experiences shaped him into an observer with deep appreciation of stories with strong visual elements. Chad started his career by merging his passion of capturing stories and snowboarding in Utah. There, the landscape guided Chad's creative aesthetic to capture the subject's context and deepen the narrative. Being a traveler who lived in several states in the US, Chad met numerous people who empowered him to also live his authentic self. After coming out in 2018, Chad sought out Deaf Queer stories. His journey led him to meet several Deaf Queer elders who lived through the AIDS crisis and was shocked how little of it has been documented. With profound appreciation for the dwindling group of survivors, Chad was inspired to preserve their stories before they are lost. He has been interviewing deaf queers, asking about how their disability background informed their experiences of being queer in America. His goal is to inspire both deaf and queer communities to not only appreciate these elders, but also the communities that they forged to sustain hope for future generations. This project will culminate in a photo book and short film.

You can learn more at his website.