May 20, 2025
From Inside FUEL Organizer Delfino Muñiz ~
To My Incarcerated Brothers and Sisters My name is Delfino Muniz. I’ve been incarcerated for over 33 years serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for a tragic choice I made at the age of 18.
That decision changed the course of many lives, including my own, in my hometown of Compton, California. I’m writing to you not just in reflection, but with purpose. Despite the concrete and steel that surround us, we still have power. We still have a role in healing our community.
Back in the 1980s, I watched a close friend lose his life to gun violence. That moment shaped me, and sadly, it helped lead me down the wrong path. Now, in 2025, I’ve learned of the heartbreaking death of Rodrigo Emiliano Martinez, a 12 year old boy from Compton – taken by the same kind of senseless gun violence, this time at the hands of another young person.
When I heard this, it hurt me – not just as a father and a grandfather, but as someone who once played a role in this cycle of pain. Rodrigo’s death is a devastating reminder of why the work we do from inside matters more than ever. We may be behind these walls, but we are not powerless.
In Rodrigo’s honor, through FUEL initiative, we are launching a donation drive led by incarcerated individuals – our way of showing that we are no longer destroyers, but part of the solution. This is transformative accountability. This is redemption in action. Every dollar we donate is a statement: We recognize the harm. We take responsibility. We choose to rebuild. We can’t bring Rodrigo back. But we can honor him – and others like him – by standing for something greater than our past.
So, I call on you: If you believe in healing, in redemption, in community – join us. Share his story. Speak Rodrigo’s name. Let your actions speak louder than your sentence. With solidarity and purpose,
~Delfino Muñiz
*****As of this date, the family is no longer requesting donations, however the message shared by Delfino speaks to so many incarcerated persons who shared his experience and who live with remorse.