Natalie Peyton
2024 Public History Intern
In Partnership with the Zucker/Goldberg Center for Holocaust Studies at the College of Charleston
Natalie Peyton (she/her) is a graduate of the College of Charleston, where she majored in Political Science and minored in Jewish Studies. She holds an Associate in the Arts from Trident Technical College (2022), where her focus on secondary education and politics laid the foundation for her academic journey. Evolving interests led her to Genocide and Holocaust studies while at the College of Charleston, with specific focuses on gender-based violence, female resisters, and the impact of stereotypes as a means to survival.
Natalie is also the co-host of "H.E.A.R. their Stories," a student-led podcast aiming to make Holocaust education accessible and engaging. Post-grad, Natalie plans to take a gap semester to add to her love of travel before pursuing her Ph.D. in History.
Natalie was the Pink Triangle Legacies Project's first Public History Intern offered in partnership with the Zucker/Goldberg Center for Holocaust Studies at the College of Charleston. During her internship (January - May 2024), Natalie produced a profile resource kit on the Jewish, lesbian salesperson Henny Schermann, helped manage the Project's social media platforms, and created a relationship management database. Natalie continues to volunteer her time with the PTL Project as a Research Advocate. She is currently working on a profile resource kit on the gay, Dutch resistance fighter Willem Arondeus, which will be published in early 2025.
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Reflecting on her internship, Natalie said, "Intrigued by my pursuit of Genocide studies, I was captivated by the Project's focus on non-Jewish victim experiences, the dynamics of hate, and strategies for protecting marginalized groups. As the U.S. grapples with contemporary issues like LGBTQ+ discrimination, I see the Project as an opportunity to gain insights into preserving human dignity, stopping the spread of hate, and helping to tell the stories of those in the past, as well as those in the present. "
