At Latinos of Connecticut, we have known Luisa Duran for years and consider her an exemplary Latina leader who embodies the dedication needed to represent our children's and families' interests. Luisa Duran is a compelling candidate for the Stamford Board of Education, especially as the city's Hispanic population has grown to over 50% of the student body (Stamford Advocate, 2024). This demographic shift brings challenges in educational outcomes; recent data indicates that approximately 70% of Black and Hispanic students in grades 4-8 scored below reading standards, and only 31.6% met math expectations in the latest assessments (Stamford Public Schools data, 2024; Stamford Advocate, 2024). These figures highlight the urgent need for initiatives to close achievement gaps and better support underserved students.
Duran's candidacy aims to address these disparities by leveraging her professional expertise in Human Resources and her personal experience as a mother of five, all of whom are currently attending or have attended Stamford public schools.
Luisa Duran was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She has now resided in Stamford for over two decades and brings a strong background in Human Resources, with more than 25 years of corporate experience, which she aims to apply to her role on the board. Luisa is running under the Republican ticket for a seat on the Stamford Board of Education in the upcoming election on November 5. Her two eldest children are currently enrolled at UConn, completing their master's degrees, and one of her daughters is a junior at Yale University.
Duran is deeply involved in her community, volunteering at her church and participating in youth programs like AWANA and American Heritage Girls. Her platform emphasizes the need for parental representation on the Board of Education, aiming to enhance support for underserved communities, including first-generation students. She is also a proud bilingual advocate for educational equity, hoping to leverage her professional skills to address the challenges facing Stamford’s diverse student population.
Duran is part of a Republican slate of candidates endorsed by the Stamford Republican Town Committee, running alongside with BOE current member Dr. Rebecca Hamman and fellow candidate Prasad Tunga.