JOSHUA PETERSEN (HE/HIM)

Originally from Temple, Texas, Joshua has witnessed firsthand the impact of fossil fuel interests on communities along the Texas Gulf and is passionate about advocating for a healthful environment for future generations. 

Before law school, Joshua served as a Research and Development Officer at the University Network for Human Rights, where he played a key role in addressing environmental racism. He co-authored They Didn’t Pay Us for Our Memories, a report documenting environmental racism and forced displacement in Mossville, Louisiana, which received coverage in The Guardian, The New Yorker, and Vice. His work continues at Stanford Law School, where he has investigated local histories of environmental injustice in the American South. 

Joshua holds a B.A. with honors in Philosophy and German Studies from Stanford University and is currently a J.D. candidate at Stanford Law School. He is also pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan.   

Outside of his legal work, Joshua is an accomplished classical pianist who has played for over two decades. He is also an avid baker, experimental theatre-maker, and lover of avant-garde literature. Whenever possible, he seeks time outdoors, finding inspiration in the Texas deserts, California beaches, and German mountains.