Asher Thye is a queer photographer and scholar-activist passionate about environmental justice and trans histories. He studied Human Rights, Environmental Anthropology, and Photography at SMU, where he graduated as a President’s Scholar in 2023. While a student, he advocated for campus policy reform and resource access for women and transgender students. Continuing his public arts and education work, Ash worked in residence at Sister Groves Farm for the summer, and he now lives and works in New York City in food justice and youth theatre.
A highlight of his university experience, Ash co-curated the exhibit In Search of Belonging, which explores SMU queer students’ past and present resistance using archival documents and oral history. Presented in a non-traditional gallery space, the exhibit prompts students and community members to reflect on how to best support LGBT students in the years to come. This work was borne of Black queer students’ intersectional struggles and culminated with the co-founding of a new university fellowship to support future LGBT scholar-activism. More information can be found here.
Ash has received numerous awards for both his photography and activism. He was a member of the Trinity High School Photo Staff for three years, serving as Head of Staff and leading the program to claim the title of Top Photography Program in Texas in 2019. Additionally, he was named one of the Top Ten Student Imagemakers in Texas in both 2018 and 2019. Ash was also awarded Grand Prize in the international Rocky Mountain School of Photography High School Photo Contest in 2019, and has won over sixty other awards in other photography contests ranging from local to international competitions. Ash’s work has been published by National Geographic and The Association of Texas Photography Instructors, among others. For his organizing work, Ash was named one of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth’s 20 Under 20 for 2019 — an honor for students who exemplify what it means to be a “global citizen,” and this has been followed by several further awards for local LGBT activism, including the John L. Freehafer, WLGBT Bridge Builders, and Emmie V. Baine Legacy awards.
His training in the SMU Human Rights Program has led him to several international fellowships, including Richter Fellowships to study alongside leaders in artistic expression in New York City, the native Hawaiian aloha ‘aina movement on Oahu, and post-conflict transformation in Ireland; as well as a 2022 Mapping Inequities Fellowship with Humanity in Action. In 2021, Ash conducted research at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, exploring taxonomy as a means for accessible public conversations about decolonizing science.
Although seemingly diverse in focus, Ash’s work is united by the necessity to know and honor our histories, share them with others, and build community to navigate a rapidly-changing climate and imagine a world beyond colonial duress.
Last updated November 2023