j. Lester Feder describes himself as a writer, photographer, and musician who tells stories about how global forces shape our everyday lives. It’s rather an understatement for someone who has worked in over 40 countries, from remote villages in Southeast Asia, inside the halls of the Vatican and the White House, and within oppressive regimes in Russia, Egypt, and Uganda.

It makes for an exhausting read, but QUEERGURU wanted to focus on one of his most important achievements.  His recent work has focused on the experience of LGBTQ people in armed conflict. which resulted in a stunning photo and oral history book about Ukraine’s LGBTQ community and the war with Russia, entitled The Queer Face of War.

The book raises awareness of how a queer community that was legalised in 1991, the same year the country gained Independence, survives. When Queerguru challenged Feder on the sheer madness of working in a war zone, he simply replied that he found riding his bike in his hometown of Brooklyn much more dangerous

PLUS THERE  is MORE : This has led to some incredible invitations to share the project across Europe this summer. Three highlights include:
Eurovision Song Contest, Vienna: QFW has been selected to be part of Eurovision’s official “Offstage” program, with a gallery show of the work promoted to the thousands who will come to the city for the contest’s finals in May.
Pride Month Exhibition, Kyiv: I’m thrilled to be working with the Ukrainian organizations Insight and LGBTQI+ Military and Veterans for Equal Rights to present a special exhibition of QFW in Kyiv to mark Pride Month in June.
World Pride, Amsterdam: A QFW exhibit will also be featured as part of the World Pride program in Amsterdam at the end of July and beginning of August.