On Tuesday, November 10, 2926, marking the 251st birthday of the United States Marine Corps and the eve of Veterans Day, Devil Dog USA, Inc. CEO Gonzalo Duran joined veteran advocates, civic leaders, and community partners in the Bronx to officially launch the national petition campaign for the Corporal Yegor Zubarev Veterans Bill.
The campaign calls on the United States Congress to pass federal source-of-income housing protections for veterans (S. 2827 / H.R. 5443) and builds on New York City Council Resolution 0654-2026. Sponsored by Council Members Frank Morano, Virginia Maloney, and Lincoln Restler, the municipal resolution cites the legacy of late Marine Corporal Yegor Zubarev and urges federal lawmakers to outlaw housing discrimination against veterans using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
During Tuesday’s launch event, Devil Dog USA Incorporated announced three immediate legislative priorities:
- Federal Bill Designation: Calling on Congress via a national petition drive to pass the Fair Housing Improvement Act (S. 2827 / H.R. 5443) and officially name the legislation the Corporal Yegor Zubarev Veterans Bill.
- Bronx Street Co-Naming: Advancing a municipal proposal to co-name a Bronx street in honor of Corporal Yegor Zubarev at the site of Devil Dog USA Incorporated’s former office.
- Student Veterans Housing Verification Initiative: Establishing a city verification program to issue student veterans an official, city-sealed letter confirming their Post-9/11 GI Bill housing stipend to present directly to landlords and real estate brokers.
“When I left the Marine Corps in 2011, I spent three months homeless, moving from my car to a halfway house and my mother’s couch, simply because landlords and brokers refused to accept my Post-9/11 GI Bill housing allowance as valid income,” said Gonzalo Duran, CEO of Devil Dog USA Incorporated, Editor-in-Chief of The Big Apple Gazette, and host of Vet Talk. “Corporal Yegor Zubarev faced that exact same discrimination when we met at Fordham University in 2013. Together, we fought to pass New York City Local Law 119 in 2017 and New York State Executive State Order 291 in 2018. Now, we are finishing the mission by taking this fight to Capitol Hill so no veteran in America is ever shut out of housing again.”
The legislation honors Corporal Yegor Zubarev, who passed away in December 2020 at age 32. Moments before Duran delivered Zubarev’s eulogy, Zubarev’s mother pulled him aside and asked him to “tell them who he was.” That promise drove Devil Dog USA Incorporated to build a nationwide network of veteran liaisons to bring Zubarev’s story and policy work to the federal level.
At the event, Duran recognized the local partner organizations supporting the campaign, including the National Association of Black Veterans (NABVETS) Chapter #0029, Caldwell Enrichment Program, Inc., Meet Me At The Cross Roads, the Bronx Conservative Party, Precious Season 3 Encouragement Series, Vero G. Production, No Soundbites Allowed, Solo Pa Mi Gente Community Outreach, Inc., and Today’s Pixels, among many others.
Duran closed the event by reflecting on his late friend’s legacy: “At Yegor’s funeral, I was speaking to a room full of people who knew him, but not what he had done. Today, I am speaking to a room full of people who did not know him, but know what he has done. Thank you, everyone.”
Supporters can sign the national petition here and learn more about the campaign by visiting Devil Dog USA Incorporated here.
About Devil Dog USA Incorporated
Based in the Bronx, New York, Devil Dog USA, Inc. is a veteran advocacy nonprofit organization that empowers veterans and transitioning service members through recreational activities, community resources, and legislative action.
