Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr. is an accomplished educator, author, and advocate. He was named the 2022 Kentucky Teacher of the Year for his work teaching French and English at Montgomery County High School. He later left his teaching position, citing discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.
He has since become a prominent advocate for equality, testifying before the U.S. House Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in 2022. He is a board member of the Kentucky Youth Law Project. He works at the University of Kentucky and continues to inspire through his writing, public speaking, and advocacy.
He is also a published poet, with his collection Gay Poems for Red States receiving critical acclaim and multiple awards.
“So many people are good, who don’t do the right thing, and I don’t know how to understand who they are ... We thought the world was one thing, and it’s actually something else.”
Willie carver
Willie is well-known in Winchester, having spoken at the former Wildcat Willie’s Distillery, now known as Regeneration Distillery, and was the headline speaker at the 2023 Voices of Winchester storytelling event at Leeds Center for the Arts.
Willie’s advocacy for Kentucky’s young people, particularly LGBTQ+ youth, involves counseling, lobbying the state legislature, and keeping abreast of legal issues surrounding the community.
He recently sat down with our Lisa Bush to talk about his work and his heart for struggling queer youth.
You can listen or watch now on your favorite podcast app or use the embedded player below.
