QUARAN AHMAD is a multidisciplinary artist and student whose creative practice spans photography, filmmaking, event curation, music creation, and creative writing. He's originally from Chicago, Illinois and currently based in New York City. His work is deeply rooted in the African philosophy of ubuntu, meaning “I am because we are”. It guides his commitment to community, shared identity, and cultural responsibility. Through each medium he engages with, AHMAD challenges, documents, and reimagines societal systems, creating immersive experiences that provoke dialogue and uplift voices historically excluded from mainstream platforms. AHMAD graduated with his Bachelors in Architecture from Howard University, and is currently pursuing his Masters' in Urban Planning at New York University.

AHMAD's photography has been featured in global campaigns, including the Wales Bonner x Howard University collaboration "Howard Universal", as well as exhibitions and publications with Roundcube Contemporary, Monad NYC, The Amistad, and more. His work has also appeared in public and institutional spaces, most notably the new Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health in Washington, D.C. In 2025, his photography was auctioned at the Washington Project for the Arts’ prestigious Collectors’ Night Benefit Auction. Most recently, he published For A While I Forgot Why I Was Here, a photo book that explores memory, belonging, and urban life through a poetic, observational lens.

While completing his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture at Howard University in 2025, QUARAN began to crystallize his artistic vision in filmmaking through the founding of The BURN Project, a multimedia project that includes both a documentary series and an event series. The BURN Documentary offers a raw, humanistic look at marginalized creatives, while The BURN Experience translates this vision into physical space, combining visual art, film, fashion, and public dialogue. Throughout the BURN journey, QUARAN worked alongside the nonprofit group Tour De Force, based in Washington, D.C., and collaborated with high schools, middle schools, Black-owned businesses, artists, and other creatives in the DMV region. The third and final BURN Experience was held at Dupont Underground in March 2024 and was featured on Fox5 News DC, cementing the project’s impact on the local creative landscape.

Alongside his creative practice, QUARAN has cultivated a strong foundation in research and interdisciplinary inquiry. He has held internships and fellowships at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Yale University, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Earthshare, and AECOM. His work in theoretical ecology, architectural design, urban equity, and environmental science has been presented at conferences including the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice Climate Change Conference and published in the NREL technical report National Wind Energy Workforce Assessment: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Needs.

QUARAN AHMAD is pursuing his Master’s in Urban Planning at New York University, where he will continue exploring how art, design, and policy can converge to shape cities that are more expressive, inclusive, and equitable. Inspired by the legacies of Steve Jobs, Virgil Abloh, Pablo Picasso, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, his goal is creating a lasting legacy through his vast and diverse creations.