Oliver Petersen (he/him), a 2021 graduate of the School Without Walls, believes that leadership comes from a lasting connection with others. Inspired by the responsibility to educate others on LGBTQ issues as a member of the community, Oliver has researched violence in the LGBTQ community against those most at risk. Drawing inspiration from LGBTQ AIDS activists in the 1980s, Oliver put the epidemic of violence against transgender women of color into perspective visually by creating a quilt that honored them, hoping to uplift their identities and chosen names in their memory. In the fall, Oliver will be attending the University of Pittsburgh, where he will study biology and museum studies. Oliver’s advice to young queer leaders is to “recognize and understand what and where your boundaries lie and to not compromise them.”
