Amy Unger (She/Her)
As the mother of a transgender individual, I am a committed Ally for transgender youth and the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Much of my work has been donated to The Bridge for Youth in Minneapolis and Rita’s House. Both organizations serve homeless LGBTQIA2S+ youth and those over 18 respectively. The work I donated is displayed as part of the organization’s mission to create safe space. Most of my life has been lived in Minnesota, but my parents were Southerners – liberal and generous. Consequently, I don’t always feel like a local. In 1990 I applied for and received a Jerome Book Arts grant through the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. I’ve also successfully written grants for a community education program at Chrysalis, A Center for Women. In 2012 an Irrigate Arts grant was awarded to me,for public art during light rail construction along the Central Corridor in St. Paul, MN. The public art I created for Irrigate is an interactive literacy based exhibit for public libraries. The Alphabet Place exhibit has toured the MN Arrowhead, spent a summer in Moorhead, and been hosted widely in Metro area public libraries that offer tutoring. Due to a head injury in 2016 I no longer paint or draw. Collage is a great way to work with color and texture. Also, I am grateful to use my camera and software to work with photos that I take of the alphabet in my urban wanderings. In June 2024 I will be the featured artist at the Edina library in Minnesota showcasing colorful Ally messages for PRIDE month.
