Tu Revista Latina Magazine

Robert Duran, PhD

You know the Homies, right? Those little action figures that you see in vending machines at the convenience store or in the toy section of your favorite retailer. There have only been more than 140 million of them sold and they are not only toys but on clothing and, now, a video game. A recent search revealed Homies with names like BabyBoy, Shy Girl, Ice Cold and El Grumpy. And then, there in Series 5, was El Profe – a sort of nerdy looking fellow with glasses and a tie standing very erect behind a lectern obviously in front of a class of students. How popular could this particular character be in the Homie world? Especially compared to such colorful characters as Mr. Scarecrow or MastaBlasta. According to his bio he “has a Masters degree in education…and cares very deeply for the young Homies that come through his classroom.” Most significantly, “he grew up in the same neighborhood as them, and knows the challenges they face.”

Robert Duran has gone El Profe at least one better. The New Mexico State University “Profe” has a PhD in sociology from the University of Colorado. He has been an assistant professor of Criminal Justice at NMSU since 2006. He teaches courses that range from Introduction to Criminal Justice to The Nature of Crime, and Race, Crime and Justice. Now all of this isn’t necessarily extraordinary by itself, but when one becomes aware of the path Robert took to get here it becomes a very compelling story. “I was the victim of a home invasion robbery,” he recalls. “My girlfriend, now my wife, and I were tied up and threatened with guns. My one-year-old daughter was covered with a blanket.” He realized that his gang activities were putting close family members in danger. He also felt the frustration of knowing who had victimized him but found that the police were unwilling to take action. “I wanted to take my life in a different direction.” He began taking classes at Weber State University but found it difficult to meet one essential requirement. “I just couldn’t make it to class,” he smiles. “Carrying books, doing homework, I just didn’t have the skill set to make me successful.” He did, however, find one class that really interested him – sociology. He eventually dropped out of Weber but enrolled in a small business college with the idea of getting an associate’s degree in business with a minor in accounting and opening his own low-rider shop. “I felt more comfortable in that smaller setting and was able to succeed more academically.” But he wasn’t able to find work in custom cars so he gave the university another try.

Robert graduated from Weber State in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, minoring in Criminal Justice and Psychology. He focused on Child and Family Services and worked as a peer mentor with children. He worked for a year in juvenile probation and another year at a youth correction facility where he proctored the detainees during activities and participated in observation and assessment. He also learned valuable mediation skills which he found to be a valuable tool in a number of situations. “Mediation really can be effective when settling disputes and not just between gangs. It was also very helpful when working with the youth in youth corrections most of whom weren’t involved with gangs.”

Robert was encouraged by a faculty advisor to get his PhD. After applying to several schools, he found that he could bypass getting his Masters and go directly into a doctoral program at the University of Colorado. “All through my academic career people have questioned my even trying to succeed, mostly because of the way I look,” he says quietly. “Someone who looks the slightest bit ‘gangsta’ isn’t supposed to be able to have goals like I did. That just motivated me more.” He worked alongside other ex-gang members in Denver who worked with current gang members to reduce violence. “These guys looked really ganged out but they were proud of it. It didn’t matter how they dressed or how many tattoos they had. It was very empowering to know we could make a difference.”

In addition to teaching, Robert continues to do research on local gang issues, which are different than in Utah and Colorado. “The police here have a much less confrontational approach, which is helpful. It also helps that the police force is more balanced toward the Hispanic majority.” He is particularly interested in the disproportionate representation of minority youth at various contact points in the juvenile justice system. “We also need to work for more resources for programs to give young people alternatives to gangs and develop mediation programs to deal with gang conflicts.”

Robert Duran is excited about the future and being a part of positive change. “I am happy to be alive,” he muses. “I never thought I would make it this far.”

There is a small collection of Homies that look down on Robert’s office from the small ledge above the door. They serve as a constant reminder to this life-size El Profe that he needs to keep in touch.

By Dave Edwards

Spring 2009