As deputy director of the Community Relations Division, Randy develops and stewards community partnerships to prevent intergroup tension and promote understanding among the City’s diverse populations as well as mitigate conflict before it escalates into crime or violence. Meeting with human and civil rights professionals from around the world through Citizen Diplomacy’s programs is one way for him to share his experience.
In 2018, Randy and his colleagues benefited from having two mid-level professionals from the U.S. Department of State’s Legislative Fellows program placed to work in his office for one month this summer and fall. The fellows assisted with researching on ongoing projects, while learning how community engagement is practiced in the U.S. and in Philadelphia.
“I’ve been fortunate to meet many high-speed people professionally and on a personal level. I want to be an ambassador to Philadelphia while providing context and information on some of our societal issues and challenges.”
Randy went the extra mile to help his fellows explore Philadelphia and to make his guests feel welcome – as did his mom. “My mom saw my new colleagues and their group with me on Facebook and invited them over for dinner. So, we all got in my car and went to my parents’
house!”
Through his relationship with Citizen Diplomacy, Randy also was able to travel to India on a State Department scholarship. He was even able to reconnect with his former fellow Priya in her hometown of Delhi.
“I am a Citizen Diplomat because I’ve gained new ideas to use in my work as well as built lastingconnections with people on the other side of the planet. ”– Randy Duque
