John Duran
Encyclopedia
John J. Duran is an American
municipal politician and a member of the city council of West Hollywood, California
.
who was elected to the State Assembly. He had previously served on the city's Rent Stabilization Commission. Duran has a long history of involvement with the LGBT
community.
One of Duran's stated concerns is alcohol
and drug recovery in West Hollywood. Duran secured the site for the West Hollywood Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center. Duran also initiated a series of town hall meetings on crystal methamphetamine that has served as a model for other communities impacted by the epidemic.
Duran is currently advocating for the historic preservation of the Sunset Strip
and the eventual creation of a Rock 'n' Roll Museum.
An openly
gay
man, Duran is a founding board member of ANGLE (Access Now for Gay and Lesbian Equality). Currently, Duran also serves as President of the Board of Directors of Equality California
("EQCA"), an organization that advocates for marriage equality
for gay and lesbian
couples. In addition, Duran is a past board member of the ACLU, Lambda Legal Defense, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
.
Duran has also worked to defend human rights. His legal cases include Kolcum v. Los Angeles County, where he successfully sued Los Angeles County for denying medication to inmates with HIV/AIDS. Duran defended the Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center during the medicinal use of marijuana controversy. In 1998 he won the first test case of medicinal marijuana defense since the passage of California's Proposition 215. Other successful cases for Duran include People v. Green where he successfully defended a defendant charged with felony assisted suicide
. He also served as legal counsel for ACT UP in the late 1980s, was the trial attorney for the Los Angeles Needle Exchange Program and has defended the first amendment rights of numerous protestors.
Duran was identified as one of the 20 Most Influential Members of the gay community by IN LA Magazine. He is one of the very few HIV-positive elected officials in the United States.
Duran is also known as a strong advocate for the arts. He is a founder of the West Hollywood Chorale, sings in the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles and collects paintings and Disney memorabilia. Duran is currently writing a history of the gay rights movement in Southern California.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
municipal politician and a member of the city council of West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
.
Political career
Duran was elected to the City Council on March 6, 2001. He succeeded outgoing City Council member Paul KoretzPaul Koretz
Paul Koretz is an American politician. He is currently a member of the Los Angeles City Council, representing the Fifth Council District. He was previously a member of the California State Assembly and the West Hollywood City Council...
who was elected to the State Assembly. He had previously served on the city's Rent Stabilization Commission. Duran has a long history of involvement with the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community.
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and drug recovery in West Hollywood. Duran secured the site for the West Hollywood Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center. Duran also initiated a series of town hall meetings on crystal methamphetamine that has served as a model for other communities impacted by the epidemic.
Duran is currently advocating for the historic preservation of the Sunset Strip
Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
and the eventual creation of a Rock 'n' Roll Museum.
An openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
man, Duran is a founding board member of ANGLE (Access Now for Gay and Lesbian Equality). Currently, Duran also serves as President of the Board of Directors of Equality California
Equality California
Equality California or EQCA is a non-profit civil rights organization that advocates for the rights of LGBT people in California.-Early history:...
("EQCA"), an organization that advocates for marriage equality
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
for gay and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
couples. In addition, Duran is a past board member of the ACLU, Lambda Legal Defense, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from the ground up. The Task Force is the country’s premier social justice organization fighting to improve the lives of LGBT people, and working to create positive, lasting...
.
Duran has also worked to defend human rights. His legal cases include Kolcum v. Los Angeles County, where he successfully sued Los Angeles County for denying medication to inmates with HIV/AIDS. Duran defended the Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center during the medicinal use of marijuana controversy. In 1998 he won the first test case of medicinal marijuana defense since the passage of California's Proposition 215. Other successful cases for Duran include People v. Green where he successfully defended a defendant charged with felony assisted suicide
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
. He also served as legal counsel for ACT UP in the late 1980s, was the trial attorney for the Los Angeles Needle Exchange Program and has defended the first amendment rights of numerous protestors.
Duran was identified as one of the 20 Most Influential Members of the gay community by IN LA Magazine. He is one of the very few HIV-positive elected officials in the United States.
Duran is also known as a strong advocate for the arts. He is a founder of the West Hollywood Chorale, sings in the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles and collects paintings and Disney memorabilia. Duran is currently writing a history of the gay rights movement in Southern California.