Charles Chear is an ex-graffiti artist turned social work faculty and PhD student.
The Arts
Charles was an early member of BDR, a street graffiti crew in Philadelphia, under the tutelage of Timothy Curtis (Brooklyn Museum, Kaikai Kiki). Charles briefly worked for the Roots (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon) and Angela Nissel (Scrubs, Boondocks) as a Linux Systems Administrator at Okayplayer.com. He later became an organizer at East Meets Words, an open mic and community space in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which hosted artists such as Beau Sia, Ishle Park, Blue Scholars, and more recently, Junot Diaz.
Social Services & Community Development
Charles worked domestically and internationally in social services and community organizing. He was Outreach Director for the One World Foundation, a non-profit for American youth of color to study and volunteer in Cambodia and Mali. He also worked as a counselor on the Tohono O'odham Nation and for refugees, both in Tucson and the U.S.-Mexico border. Charles spent a number of years in social services in Boston, Massachusetts, notably in homeless services and anti-poverty programs.
Teaching & Research
Charles’ roots in urban arts, coupled with 10+ years in professional experience, led to a career as teaching faculty at the Rutgers University School of Social Work and PhD student in Urban Systems at Rutgers University.
Charles remains involved in communities by serving on the advisory board for two non-profits, SMILE in Passaic, NJ and Muslim Community Link in Worcester, MA, and by coordinating a referral network of psychotherapists specializing in Muslim clients in New York City and New Jersey.
The Arts
Charles was an early member of BDR, a street graffiti crew in Philadelphia, under the tutelage of Timothy Curtis (Brooklyn Museum, Kaikai Kiki). Charles briefly worked for the Roots (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon) and Angela Nissel (Scrubs, Boondocks) as a Linux Systems Administrator at Okayplayer.com. He later became an organizer at East Meets Words, an open mic and community space in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which hosted artists such as Beau Sia, Ishle Park, Blue Scholars, and more recently, Junot Diaz.
Social Services & Community Development
Charles worked domestically and internationally in social services and community organizing. He was Outreach Director for the One World Foundation, a non-profit for American youth of color to study and volunteer in Cambodia and Mali. He also worked as a counselor on the Tohono O'odham Nation and for refugees, both in Tucson and the U.S.-Mexico border. Charles spent a number of years in social services in Boston, Massachusetts, notably in homeless services and anti-poverty programs.
Teaching & Research
Charles’ roots in urban arts, coupled with 10+ years in professional experience, led to a career as teaching faculty at the Rutgers University School of Social Work and PhD student in Urban Systems at Rutgers University.
Charles remains involved in communities by serving on the advisory board for two non-profits, SMILE in Passaic, NJ and Muslim Community Link in Worcester, MA, and by coordinating a referral network of psychotherapists specializing in Muslim clients in New York City and New Jersey.