INTERVIEW
WITH A COMMUNITY LEADER WHO VALUES US:
BUSINESSMAN DURREL DOUGLAS AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What was life like for you as a child growing up? BUSINESSMAN DURREL DOUGLAS: I grew up in the South Park neighborhood of Houston, Texas on Selinsky Street. We lived in Crestmont Village, an apartment complex my mother managed. People tell me I have an "old soul" all the time and I believe this was because of the way my family raised me -- around people much older than myself. I remember my mother explaining the reasoning behind decisions she made so that I'd make wise decisions if I happened to be by myself. For instance, when I played outside and it was dark and I was called in, I would ask "Why," to which she'd respond: "You have to come inside because I have to get up early in the morning to go to work," instead of saying, "Because I said so." AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What did you dream of becoming as you were a child growing up? BUSINESSMAN DURREL DOUGLAS: As a child, I wanted to be a lawyer. Looking back, I never really understood the reasoning behind it, but it may have been because that was one of the two ideal professions I'd heard of. If you wanted to be someone, you had to be either a doctor or a lawyer -- I chose lawyer. When I run into young children in passing -- on the elevator or so, that's one of my favorite things to ask them: What are you going to be when you grow up? AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What is your mission in life? BUSINESSMAN DURREL DOUGLAS: I'll use one of the best answers I'd ever heard from a 4 year-old to answer this question. I was on the elevator at my apartment building heading to my car when I saw a mother and daughter already on the elevator. After telling both of the "Good morning," I asked the little girl how old she was and she told me she was 4. I asked her what she was going to be when she grew up, she paused and gave me an answer that gave me chills -- she said "5." I believe God speaks to us through people, and that was God's way of reaching out to me through that 4 year old telling me to worry about the next step in life, not the end of the staircase. She could've said ballerina, doctor, lawyer or a multitude of other things, but she replied "5." I'd have to say my mission in life is to make it better for those around me. AUBREY R. TAYLOR: Can you tell us a little about what you do for a living? BUSINESSMAN DURREL DOUGLAS: As a consultant, I work on issue based campaigns, political campaigns and do a bit of advocacy work here and there. In Layman's terms, organizations hire me to strategize -- it seems to be one of my strengths. I work for myself, so I get to pick and choose issues that I work on and only
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choose issues/candidates that I care about. AUBREY R. TAYLOR: Do you have a recent accomplishment you would like to share? BUSINESSMAN DURREL DOUGLAS:Ahh...I grew my beard back and it's fuller than ever LOL. Years ago, I worked for Texas' prison system and couldn't wear facial hair. Once I resigned there, I told myself I'd never do two things: work somewhere I couldn't wear whatever I wanted and work somewhere I couldn't wear facial hair when I wanted to. AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What is your outlook for 2015? BUSINESSMAN DURREL DOUGLAS: 2015 is going to be a great year. As tensions rise around certain issues, we'll make progress. This year is a mayoral year and things are already getting heated. Personally, I'm looking forward to spending time with my friends and family -- just making the most out of every day. AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What advice would you give to someone out there striving to achieve their dream? BUSINESSMAN DURREL DOUGLAS:The best advice I could give would be to follow your dream. Understand that most of their friends and families won't see the dream as clearly as they do. Understand that to follow your dream you'll lose friends and colleagues through envy and jealousy. Understand that it won't be as easy as it appears in your head. Understand that at the end of the day, you must follow your instinct.
ON THE COVER DURREL DOUGLAS is one of the Co-Founders of the Houston Justice Coalition. He grew up in South Park on Selinsky Street. In 2005 he took a job as a correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) for five years eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant. After seeing the trend of hallways filled with young men of color coming from marginalized communities like his, he resigned in 2010 determined to balance the scales of justice through advocacy, grassroots organizing and community empowerment that would lead more from his community on a path to success. He currently serves on the board of directors for the historic League of Women Voters; was a LWV Rising Star Class 2013-2014, Chair of the Resolutions Committee of the Harris County Democratic Party and is a member of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.