Lazarus Nance Letcher was born and raised in the Midwest. They’ve been performing for over twenty years, and love nothing more than sharing the story of their people over the swell of strings. They currently live on the ancestral and unceded Tiwa land also known as Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Laz is a Ph.D. Candidate in American Studies with a focus on Black and Indigenous liberation and queer and trans studies. They’ve written about topics like transgender and Two-Spirit migration, intersectional approaches to addiction and recovery, Black and Indigenous solidarity in liberation movements, and transgender connection/kinship through folklore.
Laz does freelance DEI consulting and also gives presentations like: the white supremacist history of transphobia, QTBIPOC untold stories, barriers to healthcare for transgender people of color and how to remedy them, and Black liberation history. They’d be happy to connect with you to coordinate talks, panels, or interviews
Laz plays string instruments, primarily the viola. They’ve had the pleasure of touring the country and the world with the St. Olaf Orchestra and folk band Eileen & the In-Betweens. Their work with Stages of Tectonic Blackness has been shown in museums around the country. The latest iteration of STB is showing at L.A.’s Armory from August to February 2024.