Natalie Bui is a second-generation Vietnamese American facilitator, speaker, and artist whose work explores identity, belonging, solidarity, and the evolving Asian American experience. Through visual storytelling, self-inquiry, and cultural strategy, she invites people into deeper conversations about who we are, where we come from, and how we want to move forward together.
Natalie leads sessions independently and as a co-founder of SHIFT, a women of color-led collective that supports institutions in building equity-informed practices rooted in care and connection. Her work—whether on campus, in community spaces, or within organizations—blends creative expression with thoughtful guidance, helping participants navigate complex conversations with openness and intention.
Her background in advocacy and policy grounds her approach in systemic understanding. She has worked on voter education at Planned Parenthood, immigrant rights at the ACLU of San Diego, and justice policy at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles.
As an illustrator, Natalie brings visibility to the narratives, identities, and politics of communities of color. Her artwork—including zines, comics, and digital campaigns—has been featured by organizations such as 18 Million Rising, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Planned Parenthood, the National Women’s Law Center, United State of Women, and the Asian Prisoner Support Committee.
At the core of her work is a commitment to creative transformation: helping people connect across difference, reimagining what’s possible, and building a future shaped by care, story, and collective vision.
Drawn from Experience: A Creative Workshop on Art, Identity, and Storytelling
This interactive workshop explores how visual storytelling can help us process history, reclaim identity, and imagine new ways of belonging. Natalie shares her journey as an artist and organizer—using comics, zines, and campaign art to explore family history, culture, and solidarity. Participants will engage with her work and that of other movement artists, and experiment with creative prompts that encourage artistic exploration and personal reflection.
Vision Building: Reimagining Belonging in Asian American Diaspora
This interactive, story-driven workshop invites participants to reflect on Asian American identity and reimagine what belonging means—beyond assimilation, nationalism, and the model minority myth. Natalie traces the roots of “Asian American” as a political identity, shaped by war, migration, resistance, and memory, and asks: What does belonging look like now? Who do we want to belong to—and how? Through visual art, writing prompts, and dialogue, participants explore their own narratives while imagining more expansive, inclusive futures across generations.
Radical Remembrance and Intergenerational Healing in the Asian American Diaspora
What does it mean to be a descendant of war and what responsibility comes with that history? In this workshop, Natalie invites participants to explore the legacy of the Vietnam War and its neighboring conflicts, the silence many families carry, and the complicated truths of migration and U.S. empire. By naming this history, we can begin to confront complicity, imagine repair, and dream toward intergenerational healing. This session includes storytelling, reflection, and creative practices that help participants deepen their connection to history, accountability, and future vision.
