Self-Definition

Natalie Brasington  is an advertising and entertainment portrait photographer, documentary film-maker and non-profit program developer based in New York City. In 2018 she found her production company, With & About projects (withandaboutprojects.com). Natalie discovered her passion for socially conscious storytelling while photographing and interviewing survivors of Hurricane Katrina during her time as a research assistant on a FEMA reform research project for NYU’s Silver School of Social Work. Now, with over a decade of media-making behind her, she focuses her lens on human stories in both the commercial advertising and social justice worlds. Before photographing celebrities, entertainers, athletes, and CEO's for advertisements, national networks, and global brands, Natalie produced photo shoots world-renowned clients.  Uniquely equipped with both a media background, and non-profit training in youth trauma, creative workshop facilitation, interviewing techniques, and anti-oppression alignment, Natalie realized she could lend her varied expertise and insight to important causes in need of partnership. Natalie is currently partnered with the hip-hop social justice movement Legendary Cyphers (legendarycyphers.nyc), and with the organization InspirAction USA (inspiraction-usa.org) where she is working on developing a media-facing project to promote conscious living and food justice, by partnering with indigenous communities in the Amazon Rainforest. A lover of world travel, Natalie makes her home with her husband and their daughter in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood. Mellisa Diaz - Bronx-native comedian, actor, and rebel Melissa Diaz is featured regularly at Caroline’s on Broadway, has placed in Devil Cup and Laugh Your Asheville Off competitions, and appeared in the New York Comedy Festival. She has been named one of NYC’s Comics to Watch. Pamela Villa is a first-generation Mexican-American and the Director of Development at BronxConnect. Pamela helped the organization win $1 million through the Communities Thrive Challenge, an award funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Rockefeller. Pam is committed to supporting the movement to disrupt the school-to-prison through community-driven alternatives to prison and jail. Fun fact – Pam loves the broadway soundtrack from Hamilton and once memorized the entire lyrics to My Shot (but don’t try to get her to do it cause she forgot it). Always hosted by Marina Franklin- Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, and HBO's Crashing