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Rodriguez gives a speech regarding the community approach to helping at-risk youth and gang involved youth/young adults.

The Communities In Schools of the San Fernando Valley/Greater Los Angeles vision is “NO MOTHERS CRYING, NO BABIES DYING”.

As a world champion in martial arts and kickboxing, CIS Executive Director, Blinky Rodriguez has a long history of working with youth. The work became personal in 1990 when Blinky himself fell victim to gang violence.

Sonny, his 16-year-old son was killed in a drive-by shooting. In court, Blinky met the three killers face-to-face, not for retribution, but to forgive them.

Through a series of meetings, he subsequently negotiated a truce, called The Valley Unity Peace Treaty, which was signed by over 75 gangs with over 1,000 members. The treaty successfully reduced gang-related deaths from 52 to 2.

The peace treaty project became CIS San Fernando Valley, a non-profit organization in 1994. Blinky approached long-time friend Bobby Arias, then Southwest Regional Director for Communities In Schools, Inc. and solicited his assistance in developing an “integrated service delivery approach” for gang youth.

Since the tragedy of Sonny’s death, Blinky and Bobby have dedicated their lives to ending gang violence and helping gang youth transform their lives.