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OutFront Minnesota Legal and Policy Analyst Phil Duran has served in his current capacity since 2000. His prior experience includes work with the Minnesota AIDS Project and the Chicago office of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. Phil holds his law degree from the University of Minnesota and his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University. Phil serves on the board of the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association, and previously served as a member of the executive council of the Minnesota State Bar Association and of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission. Phil received a Community Service Award in 1997 from the Human Rights Campaign for his work in his native Michigan. As OutFront Minnesota’s Legal and Policy Analyst, Phil focuses on legal information, referral, and education; state legislative research and analysis; state administrative agency and local government public policy; school-related issues; and direct representation in selected public assistance and human rights cases.
PhilDuran FEATUREDPRESENTER
Since 1995, Candace Gingrich has served as a key advocate for issues of importance to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Her 1996 autobiography, The Accidental Activist, was a best seller in the GLBT community. In addition, Gingrich has been profiled in The New York Times, The Washington Post and Newsweek, and has appeared on Good Morning America, Larry King Live, Prime Time Live and other television shows. Her involvement in the movement for equal rights began when her brother, then-Rep. Newt Gingrich, was elected House speaker. In 1995, Gingrich traveled to more than 50 U.S. cities on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to encourage Americans to raise their voices for GLBT equality. In 1996, Gingrich toured the country again to spearhead HRC’s voter mobilization project, urging Americans to register to vote and participate in the political process. She has also contributed to HRC’s seminars on political training. As senior youth outreach manager, Gingrich works to empower and engage GLBT and allied youth in the fight for equality.
CandiceGingrich FEATUREDPRESENTER
Richard LaFortune has been a GLBT & Two Spirit community organizer for over 20 years. He is a past executive director of Honor the Earth, an environmental justice foundation, and served as director of training for National Native American AIDS Prevention Center. In 1991 Governor Rudy Perpich appointed him to the Governor’s Task Force on Lesbian and Gay Minnesotans. From 1991-93 he served on the founding board of The OUTFund of The Funding Exchange and he was an opening speaker for New York City Gay Pride in 1991.
RichardLaFortune FEATUREDPRESENTER
He is the legislative chair for the statewide Dakota Ojibwe Language Revitalization Alliance, 2005 Grand Marshal for the Twin Cities Pride Festival, serves on the development committee of Philanthrofund, and is a co-founder of Two Spirit Press Room, a national GLBT Native cultural and media literacy project based in Minnesota.