Laura Aguilar

“The t-shirt said art can’t hurt you, she knew better. Her problem was she placed a value on it. She believed in it just a little too much[.] she wanted to believe that it was hers to have, to hold and to own.”

  • Name: Laura Aguilar
  • Born: October 26, 1959
  • Died: April 25, 2018
  • From: California, USA
  • Pronouns: She/her
  • Contribution/Impact: Aguilar’s photos portrayed political and personal experiences she went through. Being a queer Chicano woman made an impact within the LGBTQ+ community and the Chicanx community as well.
  • Occupation: Photographer, Artist
  • Known For: Nature Self Portrait #7 (1996), Laura (1990)
  • Awards: Anonymous Was A Woman Award in 2020, James D. Phelan Award in photography in 1995
  • Interesting Facts: Aguilar had a disease called Disphonetic/Auditory Dyslexia, a form of Dyslexia that makes it hard to understand how sounds form a word. This caused her to be misunderstood when talking, as she would fuse sounds in words, making it hard to comprehend. Photography was an outlet for her, suggested by her brother.
Laura Aguilar
Laura Aguilar by John Guilfoyle - ASI Inc

Laura Aguilar was an American photographer who was born October 26, 1959 and died April 25, 2018. One of her well-known series included several portraits of communities which she was a part of. Aguilar was known for being in the queer art scenes of Los Angeles where she too many photos. Many of her photos centered around her; a working-class, queer Chicana woman. Aguilar was known for having her photos in black and white. She also started using herself as a subject in her photography. In her famous Nature Self Portrait series, Aguilar would be nude and a part of the landscape.

Handout

To download the Handout:

  1. Click on the image
  2. Right-click and select Save Image As…
  3. Print
  4. Decorate and personalize the empty space in the image.
  5. Cut out and use for a selfie to share on our social media page.
  6. Download a card and envelope template and write about an idea this leader inspires.
  7. Check out The Attic for more resources and events for Philadelphia’s LGBT+ youth!

This ASI Special event is an ongoing volunteer-led project made by people like you, using multiple educational sources regularly being revised and updated. We would love your assistance if you or your group would like to get involved, learn more here.