Natalie Willens

Natalie Willens (they/them) is an artist, educator, and organizer originally born and raised in New York City. They have been designing and teaching arts-integrated curriculum for over 15 years in contexts ranging from early childhood classrooms to elementary school libraries to university level arts and education courses. In their own work they use multiple exposure photography and film to explore gender identity, race privilege, and the effects of gentrification on New York City. They are a teaching artist with Community Word Project where they teach creative writing and visual art in K-12 public schools and initiated a Showing Up for Racial Justice group for white teaching artists to build anti-racist teaching practices. Natalie holds an advanced certificate in Interactive Technology and Pedagogy from the CUNY Graduate Center. They are currently working on a speculative fiction film about an abolitionist future in New York City.