Jose Burgos

Jose Burgos is a campaign coordinator for the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, leading the efforts in Michigan to end the practice of sentencing children to life without parole. Prior to his current position Jose worked as reentry specialist for the State Appellate Defenders Office, ensuring that those coming home from prison were receiving the assistance and services they needed to be on the path to success.

Jose was prosecuted as an adult at age 16, and convicted of felony murder, armed robbery, and assault with the intent to murder. He was sentenced to life without parole. During his incarceration, as a result of deep self-reflection, Jose took responsibility for his actions and committed to making a change no matter the circumstances.

In 2018, Jose was released after a retroactive change in law gave him the opportunity for parole. He served 27 years in prison.

Jose believes this about leadership: “No matter how big or small, we all have a role to play in this life, so play your role to the best of your ability.”