Gonzalo Duran’s, PCS ’14, life has been shaped primarily by two experiences: being the son of an immigrant and being a United States Marine veteran. Both of these identities have significantly impacted his perspectives and values and have influenced the trajectory of his life, leading him to create a non-profit, advocate for veterans’ rights and ultimately run for office. Now, Duran is continuing his work by running for New York City Public Advocate as the Republican candidate.
Duran grew up in Belmont, where he was raised by a single mother, who was an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador — Duran’s mother has since gained her United States citizenship. He said she worked multiple jobs to care for him and his younger sister. He also said that his socioeconomic status pushed him to work hard and be an overachiever.
“Growing up in that type of environment, it was hard, now that I look back at it, but it gave me a desire to do more,” Duran said.
As a kid, he was always interested in animal science. In high school, Duran took zoology classes at the Bronx Zoo, volunteered at his school’s animal lab and volunteered at the New York City American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. However, while he wanted to be a veterinarian to pursue his love of animals, Duran knew it would be difficult due to his socioeconomic status.
After Duran spoke with a military recruiter, he decided to join the Marines as soon as he turned 18 in October 2002. He began serving in June 2003 after graduating from high school, and served for eight years, during which he received an on-base education and then ultimately earned his associate’s degree from Central Texas College.
Duran completed his boot camp in South Carolina and did his training school in North Carolina before being stationed in Hawaii. He also did a tour in Iraq. He said that his time in the military opened his worldview and made him realize how much there was outside of New York City.
“I didn’t know the ocean was blue until I went [to Hawaii],” Duran said. “I had never left New York City until … the military. Taking the bus past Charlotte … seeing all the lands, the mountains, all that stuff and realizing that the city has you in such a small bubble, and when you leave it is so different.”
When he returned home in 2011, Duran had faced homelessness for about four months due to his inability to use his Government Issue (G.I.) Bill benefits as proof of income. He eventually moved back in with his mother in Belmont and got a job at the New York State Department of Labor and a paid internship at the Bronx Veterans Hospital.
While Duran’s return to civilian life was difficult, it gave him an idea to create a non-profit organization that would help veterans reintegrate back into their community. In 2012, he started holding some events such as cigar and charity poker nights to create an environment where people could relax and have fun. That same year, Duran started attending Fordham’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies in the pre-med program, while continuing to expand his non-profit. In 2013, Duran developed a logo for his organization, named Devil Dog U.S.A., and opened an office in Belmont.
Around that time there was also another Fordham student, who is now deceased, veteran Yegor Zubarev, PCS ’15, that started volunteering at Devil Dog. Duran soon learned that Zubarev was facing the same housing issues that he once had regarding his G.I. Bill not being recognized as income. Hearing Zubarev’s story made him realize that the student veteran housing issue was far bigger than he thought.
“From then on, the whole thing shifted, my concept, my, I guess my mission in life, everything switched right there. And from then on, my goal was to bring attention to that [issue],” Duran said.
Due to Zubarev’s influence, Devil Dog’s main initiative became to help veterans facing homelessness, which Duran specified is a nationwide issue. Duran started writing articles about veteran homelessness in publications including the Bronx Chronicle and speaking to politicians as well as the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services about the current issues, while also advocating for solutions. In 2014, he held a town hall in Fordham’s Keating Hall, which was sponsored by the National Association for Black Veterans, where he presented solutions for student veteran homelessness.
Finally, in 2017, Duran saw the culmination of his and other organizations’ advocacy efforts when the New York City Commission on Human Rights passed Local Law 119, which reinforced the previous NYC Human Rights Law that states the G.I. Bill is a lawful source of income.
Following his lobbying work, Duran decided to join politics in order to enact legislation himself, rather than simply advocating for laws. In 2023, he ran for District 17 City Council, and in 2024, he ran for District 15 Congressional Representative. While Duran didn’t win either election, he kept running for office. Now, Duran is running for New York City Public Advocate as the Republican nominee. He says he wants to hold a legislative position so that he can bring a voice to the Bronx community.
“My end goal is to make the city better,” Duran said. “And I think I’ve done my part … but I think I can do more.”
