David Rodriguez-Muñoz

David Rodriguez-Muñoz is a Mexican American photojournalist and reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Although he picked up a camera later in life in his early 20s, he learned at a young age the power of listening, connecting with people and hearing their stories while growing up between Aguascalientes, Mexico and east Salinas, California. Those experiences shaped the way he approaches journalism today, using visual storytelling to foster community, empathy and understanding.

His work ranges from documenting the struggles of California’s farmworker community to stories centered on resilience, immigration and social issues across the country. One of his most notable visual narratives, “Life After,” follows Amedy Dewey, a survivor of gun violence reclaiming her life after a devastating attack at 18.

David is an award-winning staff photographer and reporter whose work has been recognized through fellowships including CatchLight Local, the John S. Knight Community Impact Fellowship at Standford and Fuente Latina. Outside of journalism, he enjoys running, reading poetry, yoga, pottery, hiking, trying something new and staying connected to community.