Nancy Yu

Director of Global Engagement
& Advocacy

Nancy Yu has spent over 25 years advancing justice and accountability alongside human rights defenders and civil society organizations worldwide. Through her consulting practice, Yarn Politik, she draws on the dual ethos of storytelling and polity, using narrative power to navigate and transform complex political realities through meaningful, collective action. Her work sits at the intersection of cross-regional human rights initiatives, rapid response documentation, and grassroots organizing. Raised across diverse cultures and with an academic background in political science, psychology, and trauma studies, she brings to ARC – Artists at Risk Connection a nuanced, systems-level perspective, coordinating strategy, programs, and international advocacy to advance artistic freedom and creative expression. She is known for bridging field realities and institutional response in moments of crisis and transition.