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About Doug

Douglas Braun is a 44 yr. old resident of Cleveland Heights in Cuyahoga County where he lives with Brian DeWitt, his partner of 16 years. He is a native Ohioan, born in rural Lorain County and then moving to Cleveland after receiving his degree in Biology from Oberlin College. Doug also has a Masters in social work from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences in Cleveland and learned American Sign Language interpreting at Cleveland State University. He currently works as a social worker, helping those over the age of 60 maintain their independence.

Doug is a founding member of Heights Families for Equality, the organization that passed the domestic partner registry by popular vote in Cleveland Heights in 2003. He has served on the steering committee of that organization since 2002. He is also a founding member (1989) of what is now Cleveland Lesbian-Gay-Bi-Trans Pride, Inc. and has served on the Speakers Bureau of the Lesbian/Gay Community Services Center since 1997. From 1998 to 2002 he served on the Leadership Council of the Lesbian, Gay Aging Issues Network of the American Society on Aging. From 1999 to 2001 he served on the Visioning Committee for the City of Cleveland Heights and in 1993 he worked with the City of Cleveland Heights to include sexual orientation in the city's non-discrimination ordinance. Doug has served on the Steering Committee of Equality Cleveland since 2004.

In addition, Doug volunteers with the American Indian Education Center in Cleveland and performs with the North Coast Men's Chorus, which is Cleveland's gay men's chorus. He also received the Gay People's Chronicle Community Service Award for 1991.

In Doug's Own Words:

"I am gay and I'm not going to hide or keep quiet.

I bring a strong background in grassroots activism around voter identification and mobilization to the Equality Ohio Core Design Team. My hope is that Equality Ohio will help unite the various GLBTA groups in a common goal - equality. The Queer community in Ohio needs to unite with our straight allies to work against discrimination. Our organizations can not succeed individually."