The Homeboy Way

When world-renowned trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of the nine-million-copy bestseller The Body Keeps the Score, walked into Homeboy Industries, he came skeptical. What he found stopped him cold: people leaning into each other like friends. No suspicion. No dominance games. Just open-hearted safety. For a population with histories of violence and gang life, that is "quite remarkable."Dr. van der Kolk visited Homeboy and San Quentin in the same week. At San Quentin, he saw the familiar scars of trauma, isolation, and rigid hierarchy. But at Homeboy, he witnessed something radically different: people leaning into each other with trust and warmth. The contrast stunned him.In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Dr. van der Kolk to delve into trauma, community, and the science behind Homeboy's transformative model. Together, they unpack why belonging is a biological imperative, why trauma lives in the body, and why action, such as chopping vegetables, dancing, or working in a kitchen, can heal what talk therapy alone cannot. They explore EMDR, why gangs and college campuses satisfy the same deep human need, and what it means to discover, perhaps for the very first time, that you might be lovable.So moved by what he saw at Homeboy, Dr. van der Kolk plans to dedicate a chapter of his next book to the program.Key TakeawaysSafety looks different at Homeboy.At San Quentin, people play dominance games. At Homeboy, men with histories of violence lean into each other, open-hearted. That contrast tells you everything about kinship.What you do becomes who you are.Psychiatry is top-down: pill, advice, sit still. Homeboy does the opposite: people work and build identity through action. For someone whose only identity was the gang, that job is the foundation of a new self.Trauma is not an event; it is helplessness.The antidote, as Darwin knew, is community: our uniquely human capacity to collaborate and look out for each other.The past can become a memory, not a life sentence.Terrible things become an alibi,  a reason to stay stuck. Moving from ‘look what they did’ to ‘it’s over’ is the hardest shift. Homeboy makes it possible.In This Episode:[00:00] Introduction[00:30] Why Homeboy changes people[02:28] First impressions of Homeboy[04:14] Why belonging heals trauma[06:39] Finding community and identity[09:56] Letting go of gang identity[11:02] Trauma explained in simple terms[13:18] Understanding complex trauma[14:33] Why the body keeps the score[16:25] Understanding EMDR and healing[19:42] Why trauma k

What actually helps people heal? Is it therapy? Medication? Community? A conversation? A job? A second chance?In this special episode for Mental Health Awareness Month, host Tom Vozzo steps back from single transformation stories to look at the through line that makes Homeboy Industries actually work: mental health healing in community.Tom sits down with three sets of voices who have built, shaped, and lived Homeboy’s healing model.First, Father Greg Boyle returns to talk about why “listen, listen, love, love” isn’t just poetry but the most sophisticated trauma intervention there is.Then, Dr. Frank Anderson, a Harvard-trained trauma expert and world-renowned psychiatrist, breaks down what trauma actually is (and isn’t), why your symptoms might be protecting you, and the three components of real healing.Finally, Homeboy Industries’ Co-CEO Shirley Torres and longtime Clinical Director Fajima Bedran reveal how joy, dancing, and hot water became essential tools for whole-person healing.This episode teaches us how that transformation becomes possible and why you don’t need a therapy degree to help someone heal.Key TakeawaysHealing isn’t formulaic but it is cumulative.Father Greg calls it a “dosing effect” : one person remembers your name, another asks about your baby, a guard greets you. Alone, not therapy. Together, everything changes.Trauma isn’t who you are. It’s what happened to you.Dr. Frank Anderson says drinking, anger or withdrawal aren’t signs you’re broken, they’re adaptations. Healing starts when someone asks, “How is that helping you?”The therapy room is only one part of the container.At Homeboy, healing begins with a tap, an embrace, sitting with tears. What happens outside makes inside possible.Joy and suffering can coexist.Every Friday, Homeboy holds The Body Keeps the Score, stretching, meditation, dancing. Someone who wouldn’t give eye contact a month ago now glows. That’s not a break from work. That is the work.You don’t need to be a therapist to help someone heal.Anyone can sit, listen, offer a dose of love. That’s how a movement works.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:29 – Why this episode focuses on mental health healing02:04 – Father Greg on how healing really happens03:37 – ACE scores and childhood trauma exposure05:59 – Why healing is bigger than talk therapy09:44 – Community healing and the “dosing” effect of love12:11 – Dr. Frank Anderson joins the conversation14:56 – Defining trauma and PTSD in simple terms16:50 – Understanding complex tra

Dr. Bill Resnick first heard about Homeboy through a friend before Homeboy even existed. Years later, after a site visit, reading Tattoos on the Heart, and witnessing Homeboy’s financial crisis, he found his way into the community.In this episode, former CEO Tom Vozzo talks with Bill about moving from donor to volunteer. A psychiatrist in long-term recovery, Bill now leads mindfulness classes at Homeboy. He shares what mindfulness really is, how to teach it in unpredictable classrooms, and why healing happens best in community, not just in a therapist’s office.Bill also opens up about his own mental health struggles and the multiple second chances he has received. His story reveals what it truly means to be part of Homeboy, not as an expert, but as someone willing to show up, get proximate, and simply be in a relationship.Key TakeawaysYou don’t need a quiet mind to practice mindfulnessMindfulness isn’t about stopping your thoughts. It’s about noticing them, “busy mind,” “planning mind,” and gently returning to the present. The shift isn’t control, it’s awareness.People are carrying more than you can seeAt Homeboy, trainees walk in with real-life pressures, court dates, family stress, trauma. That reality shows up in the classroom, and it shapes how healing has to happen.Mindfulness can be a shared experienceEven in silence, practicing alongside others creates connection. There’s something powerful about knowing you’re not alone in the work of being present.Belonging is part of the healingVolunteering becomes meaningful not because of what you give, but because you become part of something. Being recognized, welcomed, and connected matters.It’s not about fixing, it’s about relationshipHomeboy doesn’t need experts coming in to teach. It needs people willing to listen, to show up, and to be in genuine relationship with others.Healing isn’t one chance, it’s manyThe people at Homeboy often come from deep, generational trauma. Change doesn’t happen once. It happens over time, through multiple chances, and sometimes for the first time ever.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction01:08 – How Bill first learned about Homeboy04:29 – The Miracle of Mindfulness class07:00 – Why mindfulness matters in daily life10:02 – Personal mindfulness practice13:14 – Teaching mindfulness at Homeboy16:51 – Tools for managing stress and anxiety19:23 – Why mindfulness works23:05 – What it means to be a volunteer28:53 – Philosophy of giving and philanthropy<

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with three remarkable women who have each walked through Homeboy's doors broken and walked out as leaders. Dyamond is now a brand strategist for the Homeboy Way podcast. Angel is a navigator helping new trainees find their footing. Vianka is an academic program coordinator at Homeboy's adult high school. Together, their stories paint a vivid portrait of what healing looks like when it is real, when it is slow, and when it never really ends.Dyamond came in after escaping an abusive relationship, drawn in by nothing more than the color of her cousin's purple shirt. She did not believe you could be paid to heal. Angel stood in the rain, literally torn between the familiar pain of her past and the unknown promise of Homeboy's open door. She chose the right path. Vianka arrived through Homeboy's anger management program, sent by a case manager she met while incarcerated, stepping through the doors during COVID when the building was nearly empty but the welcome was full.All three carry tattoos and scars and imposter syndrome. All three have sat in the same classes they now help facilitate. All three are raising children who see them showing up every day. And all three have one message for anyone still standing in the rain deciding which way to walk: you are not forever broken.Key TakeawaysHealing can be a job.Dyamond couldn't believe it when her cousin said all you have to do is go to classes and they pay you for it. She had to see it to believe it.We don't only hurt ourselves, we hurt the people who love us.Angel learned in incarceration classes that every relapse, every arrest cuts deep into the people who love you, and her son crying for her at night was her turning point. At Homeboy, the color lines disappear.Coming from the hood where Blacks and Hispanics don't always get along, Dyamond found something different at Homeboy: protection, support, and being seen as a boss.Motherly instinct is a superpower.Vianka feeds off the men's strength, but what connects the women is holding each other through difficult situations because they know what it means to bear kids and show up anyway. A business card can feel like an Oscar. Angel handed her mom a card with her name on it, and her mom made the biggest deal out of it. Because seeing your child finally change, that is everything.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction01:20 – Dyamond’s journey to Homeboy02:45 – Choosing healing over familiar pain04:20 – Angel’s role as a navigator06:45 – Angel’s turning point after incarceration08:49 – Vianka’s path through trauma and healing

What does it take to reach a kid who’s already been given up on by every system around them? Maria Flores and Gabriel Lopez of Homeboy’s Youth Reentry Center answer simply: show up, stay, and never close the door.In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Maria and Gabriel to explore the reality of working with youth coming out of incarceration and still living in gang violence, generational trauma, and instability. Unlike adults, these young people return to the same environments they came from. Their trauma isn’t something they leave behind, it’s where they live.Gabriel brings lived experience as a former generational gang member who spent years in prison before choosing a different path after his son was born. Maria, with 18 years at Homeboy, has seen entire cycles repeat, including parents she once supported now sending their own children through the program. Together, they describe a model rooted in radical consistency: no youth is ever expelled, no family is abandoned, and no one faces the system alone.From moments of joy like white water rafting trips where a hardened teen smiles for the first time, to a young man who kept returning simply because someone noticed him, this episode shows what happens when kids are treated not as problems to fix, but as people who want to be seen and loved.Key TakeawaysSociety failed her,  Homeboy showed upA girl out of school for three years wasn’t blamed. Instead, Maria asked how the system failed her. With support, she graduated two years later. No one gets pushed out hereThe Youth Reentry Center never expels kids. Instead of punishment, they use reflection and healing circles, offering stability to youth used to rejection. Education is the turning pointThough legally allowed back in school, many youth are pushed out. Homeboy created its own school to ensure they don’t fall through the cracks. Kids are pushed out not failing aloneBehaviors that lead to expulsion in underserved communities are often handled differently elsewhere. The homeboy chooses to open the door instead. Gang identity is about survival What looks like defiance is often protection. As Gabriel puts it, beneath it all is a kid who wants to be loved. Healing the healer matters Maria calls Homeboy "my medicine." Staying present requires daily practices. Staff wellbeing is essential to sustaining this work. In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:30 – Why Homeboy focuses on youth02:49 – Living in trauma, not beyond it06:47 – Girls, foster care, and hidden struggles08:44 – Why no one is ever kicked out</

Years ago, Homeboy Industries was experiencing financial hardship. In order to make payroll, Melanie and her husband Richard Lundquist received a call from a Homeboy Board member that resulted in a check with no strings attached. No restrictions. Just trust.In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with 2026 Lo Maximo KINSHIP Honoree Melanie Lundquist, longtime Homeboy Industries supporter, to uncover the story behind that trust.Melanie's father was raised in Boyle Heights, and she remains true to her roots, retaining her lifelong love of service to others.Melanie and her husband, Richard are Giving Pledge (https://www.givingpledge.org/) signatories, and for them, impact is not about perfect numbers. It is about walking with the most vulnerable, and investing in replicable models like Homeboy Industries, that create systemic changeKey TakeawaysCherishing each other is a shared responsibility.If we had enough cherishing, there would be no need for Homeboy. Melanie subscribes to Warren Buffett's theory: money belongs to society; we're just temporary stewards.Systemic change requires replicable models.We live in a deeply broken system across education, justice, and healthcare. True success is not short term help. It is creating models that can replicate and drive change from the bottom up. Homeboy is a replicable model; dollars invested here reach far beyond LA.Homies belong at the tableWhen people ask if Melanie has had "clients" at her dining room, she corrects them: "They're homies." She's proud to have them there. Your dollars build a model that helps people in Chicago, New York, and beyond.Kindness costs nothing but changes everythingYet we struggle to give it. As a philanthropist, Melanie says, "It's the biggest, most joyful journey of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything."In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:41 – Why Melanie became a supporter of Homeboy05:53 – Why philanthropy gives life meaning07:50 – Defining impact and systemic change10:12 – Why donors should engage beyond money12:10 – Gratitude and the deeper meaning of giving14:02 – Why she chose to invest in Homeboy16:20 – Balancing different causes and priorities19:21 – Five-year forecast: the future of philanthropy21:00 – Why long-term commitment matters25:07 – Politics vs. philanthropy26:45 – Elected officials prioritizing the poor and disenfranchised27:51 – The freedom and limits of philanthropy31:47 – Why Homeboy’s model works34:07 – Can philanth

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Jose Leon, head barista at Homegirl Cafe. But Jose almost didn’t stay long enough to make a single cup.The first time Jose walked through the doors of Homeboy Industries, he was already planning his exit. Fresh out of rehab and carrying a charge for “fire,” considered worse than murder on the streets, he assumed a place full of gang members could never be positive. But his roommate, T, had a persistent, vibrant energy that Jose wanted for himself. More than that, he had four daughters. He needed to become someone they could count on.So he stayed. He washed dishes. He unlearned nearly everything. And then he got tricked into becoming a barista. Behind the counter at Homegirl Cafe, Jose discovered that coffee dissolves the barriers between strangers. People walk in with heavy stories, a mother grieving a son, and hand them over with their order. He listens, he serves, and he makes the best latte in Los Angeles.Now the head barista and a quiet leader, Jose still wakes at 3:30 a.m. He still focuses on the next generation, knowing he may never fully heal the wounds of his past. But he shows up differently. And that, he says, changes everything.Key TakeawaysIf you want something different, you have to do something different.Jose did not suddenly feel ready. He chose differently. He realized that everything he had done before led him to where he was, and if he wanted a different life, he had to take a completely different path.Transformation does not instantly fix relationshipsEven when someone does the work to heal, grow, and change, family members may still see the old version of them. Rebuilding trust takes time, patience, and consistency.Small, consistent actions can create a sense of purpose.When Jose started in the back of the cafe washing dishes, it wasn't a dead-end job. It was the first time he knew he could do something, finish it, and do it correctly again the next day. Support can break deeply rooted beliefsMany who come from incarceration or hardship feel like they do not deserve help. Experiencing genuine care through meals, kindness, and community begins to shift that mindset and opens the door to changeIn This Episode:00:55 – Jose’s first time at Homeboy01:28 – The arson charge and coming out of rehab02:04 – Why Jose was against Homeboy at first02:45 – What kept him coming back03:33 – The turning point: “I had to do something different”05:44 – What Father Greg means to Jose07:22 – Traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska to speak08:46 – Unlearning everything09:20 – Daily practices: waking up at 3:30 a.m

A Hollywood actor spent years trying to get through the doors of Homeboy Industries. Not as a client. Not as a case manager. Just as someone who felt drawn to a place she did not fully understand. Camilla Belle had heard Father Greg speak at her church, seen the logo around Los Angeles, and had friends on the inside. But she still needed someone to take her by the hand.In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Camilla to hear the full story, from Mommy & Me classes at Jane Fonda's workout studio to finally getting the tour at Homeboy. She describes her first morning meeting as indescribable: the prayer, the celebrations, the bake sales. That single visit turned into a board seat, a PA training class, and a van ride with a homie who trusted her with his entire life story.Camilla did not come from gangs or prison. She came from Hollywood. And that turned out to be enough. Because at Homeboy, kinship does not require a shared past. Just a willingness to show up, listen, and believe in second chances.Key TakeawaysMorning meeting is the heartbeat of HomeboyCamilla describes it as indescribable, a celebration of life, community, and positivity that stays with you. From prayer to bake sales, everyone should experience it.Second chances are irresistible.Camilla was drawn to Homeboy not despite the fear people feel, but because of it. Father Greg's message about giving people another chance spoke to her deeply.You don't need a shared past to belongMany look at Homeboy and think, "I have nothing in common." But inside those doors, there's no judgment. We're all human.Listening is a privilege.During a board activation day, Camilla sat in the front of a van and listened as a homie told her his whole story, incarceration, family, and kids. She felt lucky he trusted her.Homeboy doesn't give anything away.No handouts. You work hard, show up, go through the 18-month program, and dedicate yourself to change. Homeboy gives second, third, and fourth chances as many as it takes.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:45 – How Camilla got involved with Homeboy03:25 – First impressions: the morning meeting05:25 – Philanthropy and motivation to join Homeboy07:02 – Finding common ground and human connection08:41 – Homeboy Media Group and workforce development09:07 – PA training class experience11:22 – Navigating the entertainment industry and social media13:06 – Lessons learned from Father Greg Boyle14:40 – Applying Homeboy lessons to everyday life15:26 – Jane Fonda’s influence and activism<

Imagine your children being taken from your home at gunpoint. That searing, shame-filled moment becomes the catalyst. Not for more destruction, but for a journey that leads you from prison yards to the director’s chair, and eventually, to finding freedom in a sun-drenched square in Barcelona. This is Natalie’s story.In this episode of The Homeboy Way, host Tom Vozzo sits down with Natalie Venegas, Director of Case Management at Homeboy Industries, her son Daniel Aguilar, and longtime Homeboy leader Hector Verdugo to explore the long arc of transformation and generational healing. Natalie reflects on her 15-year journey from leaving prison as a four-time felon, carrying the trauma of her children being taken at gunpoint, to rising into senior leadership while pursuing clinical licensure. She shares how addiction, rejection, and survival masks once shaped her life, and how therapy, education, and unconditional love helped her learn how to live, parent, and lead. Daniel offers his perspective on choosing recovery for himself, while Hector reflects on witnessing Natalie’s evolution firsthand. Together, their stories reveal how kinship and consistency reshape not just individual lives, but entire family trajectories.Key TakeawaysHealing begins when survival endsNatalie shares how emotional shutdown and stoicism kept her alive but also kept her stuck. Healing began only when she felt safe enough to be vulnerable.Consistency builds trust where words cannotHomeboy’s steady presence taught Natalie how to be consistent for herself, her children, and others, something she never experienced growing up.Unconditional love creates capacity Being loved without prerequisites allowed Natalie to believe in herself, pursue education, enter therapy, and step into leadership.Healing is generational Daniel’s recovery is connected to his mother’s healing. Homeboy’s model shows how helping one person reshapes an entire family’s future.You cannot do it alone, and you are not meant to Walking alongside others through sponsors, staff, and peers makes transformation sustainable and real.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:42 – Natalie’s early years and repeated incarceration02:09 – Being taken from her children at gunpoint03:59 – Choosing not to numb out in prison06:28 – A letter from her son that changed everything08:09 – The Greyhound bus, temptation, and choosing sobriety10:36 – Entering a program and first encounters with Homeboy12:18 – “You don’t fit our profile”: misjudgment and persistence14:58 – Vulnerability breaks through st

When Robert Valles first walked through the doors of Homeboy Industries, he wasn’t looking for healing. He was looking for a job. After more than fifteen interviews and repeated rejection because of his federal record, he arrived skeptical and unsure of what to expect.What he found instead was something he had never experienced before: a place where people are, in his words, “paid to heal.”In this episode, Tom Vozzo and Hector Verdugo sit down with Robert to reflect on the long road that brought him there. Once a gang member and federal prisoner, Robert spent years numbing pain through addiction. When sobriety finally forced him to face his life, he was confronted with shame, loss, and the devastating moment his children were taken away.Not knowing where his kids were for forty days became the turning point that pushed him to surrender and change.Today, Robert serves as a Case Manager, helping others rebuild their lives. His story reveals how healing begins, how love can feel unfamiliar at first, and how serving others can become a powerful form of recovery.Key TakeawaysWhen a federal record becomes a barrierRobert went on 15 job interviews before coming to Homeboy. Despite being likable and qualified, his federal record, which can never be expunged, kept doors closed until he found Homeboy.Getting paid to healRobert was initially upset about the low pay. But through self-help classes, he discovered: "You get paid in a different way here. I'm getting paid to heal." His story now helps others heal, too.Healing as a couple, with boundariesRobert was skeptical about doing the program with his wife. But it worked because they understood: "You have your program, I have my program. Once we're healed, then maybe we can heal our marriage.""If I could do it, you could do it"Robert tells trainees daily: "Gang member, incarcerated, addicted 20 years, kids taken away. If there's a box, check it." His lived experience gives others hope.A touch of love makes a differencePeople who experienced even some love in childhood recognize it at Homeboy and thrive quickly. That thread of love, however tangled, matters.When there is no love, healing takes longerThose who were tortured as kids, who experienced no love, often leave when shown love. They return, leave again, and stay longer each time. Healing just takes more time.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:53 – Robert’s role and journey at Homeboy02:43 – Transformation from gang life03:26 – Ozzy the Navigator moment04:50 – Getting paid to heal 05:20 – D

At Homeboy Industries, healing rarely happens through a single method. It unfolds through therapy, community, compassion, and the steady presence of people who care.In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. to explore how healing really happens for people carrying deep trauma. Fr. Greg describes it as the “cumulative dosing effect of cherishing” when someone is consistently seen, known, and valued. Yet that kind of love can feel overwhelming. Some homies even walk away at first because they do not know how to receive it.Fr. Greg reflects on the early days of Homeboy, when therapy carried heavy stigma. Today, the demand is so great that there are waiting lists. He shares stories of people wrestling with addiction, hearing voices, and confronting wounds they once tried to bury.Through decades of experience, Fr. Greg reveals a deeper truth. Healing does not happen only in therapy. It happens in a community where people discover they are no longer alone.Key TakeawaysOverwhelm from love is real.Fr. Greg shares about a homie who left Homeboy not because things were bad, but because he “didn’t know how to handle all the love.” For people used to trauma, steady care and belonging can feel unfamiliar or overwhelming, so some leave and return when they are ready.Community dosing surrounds and amplifies therapy.Beyond methods like talk therapy and EMDR, healing also happens through daily relationships. Consistent care from staff, mentors, and volunteers helps build resilience.The three profiles of gang members (and all of us).Fr. Greg breaks down that everyone falls into one of three categories: despair (can't imagine a future), trauma (high ACEs score), or mental illness.Luck and privilege shape our lives more than we admit.Fr. Greg reminds us that success is not only about hard work. Many benefit from unseen advantages, and recognizing this can foster humility and compassion.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction 01:00 –  How healing happens02:28 – Why therapy must be voluntary03:09 –  The early days and the need for therapy at Homeboy (ACEs)05:50 – What surrendering to healing looks like07:44 – When love feels overwhelming09:14 –  Challenges finding therapists and homies to try therapy12:29 – The rise of therapy and volunteer clinicians14:35 – Listening and loving as the foundation of healing16:05 – Alternative therapies and healing experiences20:32 – Why there is no “one-size-fits-all” healing23:37 – Compassion and forgiveness in the healing process26:38 – What it mean

Jane Fonda, Oscar-winning actress and lifelong activist, first learned about Homeboy Industries in the 1980s through her then-husband, Tom Hayden. He came home energized by a Jesuit priest who had opened a bakery employing formerly incarcerated gang members. Years later, at a Homeboy gala, she finally heard Father Greg Boyle speak and knew she wanted to be part of something so transformative.In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Jane to reflect on her seven years as a board member and what continues to draw her to a community built on healing and second chances. She shares how walking through Homeboy’s doors feels like “sinking into a warm bath,” and why, at 88, she still finds herself learning from the homegirls she calls “smarter than me in so many ways.” For Jane, leadership begins with humility, and real change starts by listening from the heart.Key TakeawaysJobs are not enough. Healing comes first. Father Greg realized quickly that employment alone would not create lasting change. Deep trauma, left unaddressed, leads people back into trouble. Homeboy evolved into a healing-centered community where recovery comes before placement.Cherish, don’t judge.To cherish someone is to fully receive them into your heart. Healing begins there.Transformation requires proximity. It's wonderful when rich people throw money out from their homes up on the hill to people who need it," Jane says. Generosity from a distance is good. But real change happens shoulder to shoulder. Being present, listening, and building relationships transforms everyone involved.Hate the behavior, not the personBad behavior is often the language of trauma. You can reject harm while still honoring human dignity.We give because we see ourselves. Homeboy’s mission resonates because we are all broken in some way. Watching others heal reminds us that transformation is possible for us too.Women are the glue. "In every class, in every rung of society, and in every ethnicity and race in the world, it's women that hold things together. They're the glue for families and for communities."Life with meaning is better. Jane has lived without meaning and with meaning. "I know that the meaning is a lot better. In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction01:46 – How Jane Fonda first found Father Greg and Homeboy Bakery03:41 – From the Homeboy Bakery to a healing-centered model04:40 – "I need whatever that secret sauce is"06:05 – Kinship and mutuality with people on the margins08:48 – What Jane learns from homegirls</

When Tom Vozzo first walked into Homeboy Industries more than 12 years ago, he was skeptical. “Shouldn’t we be doing work here at ‘Industries’?” he wondered, seeing art classes throughout the building.In this episode, Tom sits down with Fabian Debora, Executive Director of the Homeboy Art Academy, and Program Manager Barbara Fant to explore how art reaches wounds words cannot and why creativity is central to Homeboy’s model of healing and belonging.Fabian shares how, as a child hiding from domestic violence, drawing became his refuge, a sanctuary that carried him through addiction, recovery, and ultimately national recognition as a Heritage Fellow with the National Endowment for the Arts. Barbara reflects on losing her mother at fifteen and turning grief into poetry, using verse as both prayer and therapy.Through the Art Academy, rival youth create side by side, guided by Fabian’s Three R’s: Reconnect, Re-identify, and Reimagine.Key TakeawaysArt is refugeAs a child, Fabian learned art did not just express him, it held him. Hiding under a coffee table from violence, he found safety and hope. That same refuge is what the Art Academy now offers every young person who enters.Mentorship restores what shame steals. When a teacher destroyed Fabian’s artwork, Father Greg Boyle saw him for who he truly was and gave art back. That moment of being seen and reassured that his gift mattered changed everything.Poetry can be prayer.At 15, without therapy, Barbara turned sermon notes into poems, using them to grieve, pray, and make sense of losing her mother.Healing is intentional.The Art Academy practices a healing-centered approach: circles, reflection, the three R’s, creative exercises aligned with specific aspects of healing, and structured closing reflections.Identity can evolve.The young man known for his face tattoo begins with gang writing and gradually discovers artistry, leadership, and gentleness within himself.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction01:26 – Fabian’s childhood and art as refuge03:32 – Mentorship and artistic development05:28 – Barbara’s story: poetry as prayer11:03 – The Homeboy Art Academy12:32 – Healing-centered approach and the three R’s14:25 – Community, safety, and transformation16:29 – Co-designing the Academy’s modality18:09 – Stories of transformation: Giselle and Jesus20:13 – Managing gang dynamics and building kinship21:55 – Team approach and wraparound services24:03 – Challenges of the work27:07 – Resilience and r

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with comedian and podcaster Pete Holmes to talk about faith, belonging, and spirituality. Pete shares how discovering Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. and Homeboy Industries reshaped not just his theology, but the way he walks on stage. Before performing, he often listens to Father Greg to remind himself that “we belong to each other,” shifting comedy from performance to kinship.Pete reflects on coming from the Christian tradition, where being the center of attention can feel almost wicked, like becoming the “special boy.” Comedy, he explains, is not that. He will play the role of the special performer, and the audience plays their role too. But underneath it all, it is just a connection. It is all just sunlight wearing different masks.Reflecting on the story of the prodigal son, Pete explains that you cannot be more of the man’s son in the kingdom and less his son with the pigs. It is about accepting that you are accepted. You are already in. They talk about staying soft when things go wrong, letting anger move through without shame, and resisting the urge to create “the other.”Key TakeawaysWe are sunlight wearing different masks.Pete looks at the audience and does not see strangers. He sees himself in different forms. Each person carries quiet burdens, love and hurt, generosity and selfishness. The gospel draws a crowd.Pete observes that Homeboy’s lobby feels like Disneyland or summer camp. That pull, he argues, is the real sign of the sacred.Pain is not a competition. Your shit is your shit.Pete almost minimizes his own story beside another’s trauma, then realizes suffering is not a scoreboard. Healing begins when we stop ranking wounds and start honoring them.Want to know you’re accepted? Start accepting others.You can't be more the man's son when you're in the kingdom and less his son when you're with the pigs. Tom watched Greg Boyle pause with wealthy donors to attend to a homie with a simple question. Acceptance is not a reward. It’s a practice we extend, especially to the least visible.Grace is getting it wrong and being loved anyway.Tom’s tree story captures the ache of good intentions missing the mark. That tender space between intent and impact is where grace lives.Hating the other is hating yourself.When we label anyone disposable, we quietly say the same about ourselves. Loving those cast aside brings the hidden parts of us back to life.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:53 – Getting involved with Homeboy01:22 – Connecting with Fr. Richard Rohr and Fr. Greg Boyle03:16 – The impact of Homeboy

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with renowned Franciscan priest and author Fr. Richard Rohr to explore the emotional and spiritual journey behind anger, sadness, and healing. Fr. Richard explains why so many people, especially men, get stuck in anger and how that reaction often covers a much deeper sadness.Their discussion naturally connects to the lived experiences at Homeboy Industries, where individuals arrive carrying both grief and the desire for a new beginning. Fr. Richard shares why welcoming our sorrow is not weakness but a pathway to compassion, transformation, and spiritual maturity. The result is a warm, honest, and deeply human conversation about what it truly means to grow, to heal, and to become more whole.Key TakeawaysReal transformation begins when anger gives way to sadness.Most people think prophets were angry men. Rohr explains they actually began in anger but moved into sadness and ultimately into compassion, mirroring the inner journey many at Homeboy take.Grief is not weakness; it is the soul’s entrance into maturity.Cultures throughout history had rites teaching boys how to weep. Rohr recounts the Maasai “caves of grief,” where warriors learned that tears were strength, not failure.Control is the enemy of healing.Trying to control emotions keeps people stuck in anger. Letting go allows sadness to rise, which is the pathway to compassion.Suffering is unavoidable and essential.Whether it is the death of a loved one, loss of a pet, or inherited trauma, every person experiences pain. Rohr argues that grief, felt honestly, is the starting point of a real spiritual journey.Joy comes only after walking through grief.True joy is not positive thinking. It is what emerges when we release judgment, righteousness, and the need to perfect the world and ourselves.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction to The Homeboy Way01:04 – The spiritual lessons of Homeboy and Fr. Richard's writings01:43 – Why the soul must weep: Anger, sadness, and the prophetic journey06:19 – Why men don't weep and how to learn10:42 – Grief as initiation: The Men's Rites of Passage and PTSD14:13 – What the poor know: A critical lens on society and success18:31 – The necessity of suffering and exile for transformation24:30 – Wholeness vs. perfection and the "wounded warrior"27:48 – Occam's Razor: Why the simplest answer is Love33:13 – Certitude vs. faith in spirituality and politics36:04 – From lamentation to doxology: Where true joy is found39:47 – Conclusion and gratitude<

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, host Tom Vozzo sits down with Homeboy leaders Hector and Stephanie for a raw, unfiltered conversation about policing, childhood trauma, and the long road from survival to kinship.Through deeply personal stories, they explore how early encounters with law enforcement shaped fear, anger, and identity and how Homeboy Industries created a radical alternative: a place where healing requires moving beyond “us vs. them” and choosing to be fully in, even when it’s uncomfortable.This episode doesn’t simplify pain or excuse harm. Instead, it names the wounds honestly while asking a harder question: What does it take to heal without becoming what hurt you?Key Takeaways“We’re In”: Choosing Kinship Over DivisionHector explains the turning point at Homeboy Industries: realizing the work only functions when everyone commits fully. Not partially. Not conditionally. “It’s not about us and them. It’s just us.” True transformation begins when people decide they’re all in, including with former enemies and authority figures.Seeing Law Enforcement as Human Without Erasing HarmHector reflects on learning to hold two truths at once: acknowledging abuse while recognizing the humanity of those in uniform.Healing, he explains, doesn’t mean pretending harm didn’t happen, it means refusing to let it define the future.Choosing Restraint in the Face of Old RageHector shares a moment years later when he encounters a police officer who had deeply harmed his family. His body reacts instantly but he chooses to walk away. This illustrates the quiet, invisible work of healing: regulating yourself when every instinct tells you to explode.From Fear of Beatings to Fear of DeathStephanie contrasts past and present policing realities. Where earlier generations expected brutality, today’s communities fear being killed especially during mental health or domestic calls. This connects the rise in aggression, distrust, and hyper-vigilance to a deeper, collective fear that has only intensified since COVID.Wearing Homeboy in Public: From Target to SignalStephanie explains why she once avoided wearing Homeboy gear in her neighborhood and how that changed as law enforcement began to understand the mission. This moment reflects the broader shift in how Homeboy Industries is perceived: no longer a “soft place for gang members,” but a proven model of transformation.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:57 – Hector’s experience with police12:15 – Stephanie’s experience with police16:58 – Interactions with law enforcement17:33 – The current state of the streets

Smitty did not come to Homeboy Industries looking for a job or a title. He came looking for his daughter. After incarceration and a painful separation from his child, he arrived at Homeboy for parenting classes, hoping to rebuild his family. What he found was a place where people were allowed to be human, to heal, and to grow without judgment.In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo sits down with Diwaine "Smitty" Smith to talk about his journey from trainee to navigator, a role that places him on the front lines supporting others through reentry and transition. Smitty reflects on how life inside jail taught him that if people can learn to coexist there, they can learn to do so anywhere. He also shares how a Civil Rights Immersion trip through the South reshaped his understanding of courage, mercy, and responsibility. Through faith, service, and kinship, Smitty’s story shows how personal healing becomes leadership.Key Takeaways Jail Taught Kinship First Incarceration showed Smitty that rivals can coexist. Homeboy proves respect and dialogue make it possible beyond jail.Safe Space for Stumbling and HealingHomeboy allows mistakes with support, wellness days, family priorities, and care without fear of punishment.From Personal Healing to Helping OthersAs a Navigator, Smitty leads with empathy, meeting people where they are and asking how he can help.The Civil Rights Trip’s Profound ImpactWalking in civil rights history reshaped Smitty’s view on nonviolence, resilience, and moving forward.Mercy as a Teachable PracticeSmitty led a class on mercy, sparking honest dialogue about compassion, even when it feels undeserved.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction 00:26 – Meet Smitty: from trainee to navigator00:56 – The jail mentality and Homeboy’s safe haven02:45 – Smitty’s journey to Homeboy03:34 – Culinary arts and Bread and Roses04:24 – The role of a navigator06:17 – Community organizing and helping others09:50 – The Civil Rights Trail experience12:45 – Reflecting on regional differences13:37 – Impact of Southern history14:26 – Personal transformation and community16:49 – Teaching mercy at Homeboy20:24 – Spiritual journey and personal growth21:49 – Conclusion and final thoughtsNotable Quotes“If we can get along in jail, we can get along anywhere else.” — Smitty [00:01:08]“We took punches from these people so our grandkids wouldn't have to take them.” — Quote from

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, host Tom Vozzo sits down with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., founder of Homeboy Industries, to unpack one of the most pervasive challenges for those who come through Homeboy's doors: substance abuse. Drawing from decades of experience, they explore how addiction often serves as self-medication for unhealed trauma, why people numb pain when forced to "excavate wounds," and how programs like AA and NA foster surrender, community, and spiritual awakening. Fr. Greg shares raw stories of homies who first got high only after beginning deep healing work at Homeboy, the shift from drug testing to trusting sobriety for real progress, and the parallel between gang addiction, domestic violence cycles, and substance use. The conversation turns to mercy as the ultimate liberation, beyond transactional forgiveness, and how kinship creates sturdiness against life's knocks.This episode reveals how Homeboy meets people where they are without forcing recovery while offering clear paths to healing, emphasizing that "it takes what it takes" for change, and true freedom comes from mercy upon mercy.Key TakeawaysAddiction as Self-Medication Substances numb the pain of excavating deep wounds from trauma; healing begins when people stop avoiding the "pause" to look at their lives.AA/NA Works Through Surrender Success depends on willingness to cooperate in one's own healing, sharing delusions humbly, and turning life over to a higher power (broadly defined).Harm Reduction and PatienceHomeboy respects readiness: outpatient vs. residential rehab, testing, incentives, or "come back when you're ready"—you can't want recovery more than the person does.Clear Over Tough "Tough love" is often mean; true clarity offers one open door to recovery, like showing a child the exit ramp from a violent freeway.Mercy as Liberation Move beyond back-and-forth forgiveness to pure mercy (just "forth"); it's God's essence, freeing both giver and receiver from clinging to grudges or payback.Spiritual Underpinning The 12 Steps offer a genius American contribution to spirituality: sponsors provide walking companionship, and recognizing a higher power builds resilience.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction03:49 – The role of AA and NA06:16 – Acknowledging and addressing addiction08:31 – Therapy and alternative coping mechanisms09:09 – Harm reduction and rehabilitation12:58 – The concept of tough love18:44 – Spiritual underpinnings of AA19:56 – Exploring the spiritual basis of healing<l

Miguel Lugo came to Homeboy Industries looking for help removing a chest tattoo that had defined his violent past and kept him trapped long after prison. After serving 18 years behind bars, starting at age 18, Miguel walked through Homeboy’s doors just days after his release. He stood outside for hours, unsure if he was ready to let go of the identity that once kept him alive but was now holding him back.In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo sits down with Miguel, Community Relations and Head of Security at Homeboy Industries, to trace his journey from a life shaped by violence to one rooted in presence, accountability, and care. Miguel shares how tattoo removal became a path to reclaiming himself, how spiritual practices like sweat lodge ceremonies sustained him in prison, and how therapy helped him confront when harm became acceptable. Today, Miguel stands on the sidewalk welcoming newcomers, diffusing conflict, and walking with people before they ever enter the building. His story shows how deep personal healing becomes sacred work and how choosing love, again and again, turns survival into leadership.Key TakeawaysTattoo Removal as FreedomRemoving gang tattoos was not about jobs. It was about shedding an identity rooted in harm and reclaiming self-ownership.The Power of the SidewalkMany people hesitate before entering Homeboy. Healing often begins outside the door through presence, listening, and trust.Community Relations = Walking With, Not WatchingMiguel reframes safety as walking with people, not watching them, creating belonging instead of fear.Spiritual Practice as SurvivalSweat lodge ceremonies in prison offered grounding, humility, and a connection to identity beyond incarceration.Therapy and the Courage to Ask WhyHealing deepened when Miguel confronted the question of when harming others became acceptable.From Violence to BufferBy stepping between conflict and naming people with care, Miguel and his team prevent harm before it escalates.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:25 – Miguel’s journey begins01:08 – First steps at Homeboy03:06 – Tattoo removal and transformation06:01 – Leaving the gang life behind08:09 – Helping others and building community18:52 – Navigating challenges and misconceptions21:39 – Changing lives for a better future21:59 – Interactions with politicians24:44 – Building a new home26:52 – Spiritual journey and sweat lodges30:42 – Overcoming trauma and finding freed

How do you build a business that puts healing, culture, and opportunity first while still making a profit? In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo sits down with Tepito Coffee co-owners Jose Arellano, Vice President of Operations at Homeboy Industries, and Mike de la Rocha, co-founder of Revolve Impact, to discuss social enterprises, specifically the challenges and successes of running Tepito Coffee. They delve into the significance of providing purposeful structure for those leaving gang life and the pivotal role of social enterprises in creating job opportunities. Tom recounts the creation of the Homeboy Ventures and Jobs Fund, a crucial step in supporting these enterprises. Mike and Jose share their journey from initial struggles, receiving investment, to finding success while staying true to their mission. Through personal stories and lessons learned, they highlight the importance of intentionality, community support, and the transformative power of giving back.Key TakeawaysMission Meets Market RealityRunning a for-profit social enterprise requires tough accountability alongside unwavering support. It's the "next level" after Homeboy's safety net preparing people for the real workforce.Access to Capital Changes EverythingPredatory loans and exclusionary investors nearly ended the business. Homeboy's low-interest investment provided not just funds, but expertise and belief in modest, impactful returns.Homegrown Leadership Is PossibleFrom trainee to VP to co-owner: Jose's journey shows what's achievable when organizations invest in internal talent, inspiring others to dream of ownership.Trauma-Informed Business Takes PatienceHiring system-impacted staff means embracing setbacks, offering dignity in tough conversations, and always leaving the door open for return.Cultural Pride Drives SuccessUnapologetically Chicano and Indigenous branding, combined with specialty quality and authentic storytelling, builds loyal community and disrupts who gets to succeed in coffee.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction 01:15 – Tom's journey with Homeboy05:28 – The birth of Tepito Coffee15:29 – The struggle for investment and support21:56 – Building a brand with purpose23:56 – The spirit of Homeboy: connecting to the earth and each other24:41 – Training with intentionality: customer service at Tepito Coffee25:18 – Marketing with pride: embracing Chicano and Indigenous roots25:45 – Investing in community: long-term returns beyond capitalism26:23 – Success stories: from barista to business owner<l

How do you run a real business when your primary mission is healing, kinship, and transformation? In this episode, Tom Vozzo is joined by Homeboy Industries Co-CEO Steve Delgado and longtime advisor Gayle Northrop to explore the social enterprises at the heart of Homeboy.Their conversation centers on people, not products. People coming home from prison. People who have never held a formal job. People carrying trauma alongside hope and a desire to belong. At Homeboy, businesses are designed around that reality, not in spite of it.They explore the tension between mission and margin, speaking honestly about the real costs of being trauma-informed and the courage it takes to invest in people before the world believes they are ready. They reflect on bakeries that employ twice the usual staff, leaders grown from within, and workplaces built on dignity, structure, and accountability.This is lived experience, not theory. A reminder that at Homeboy, businesses exist to serve healing, and when people are met with kinship and structure, they rise together with their community.Key TakeawaysThe Foundational Principle“We don’t employ people to bake bread. We bake bread to employ people.” The social enterprises exist to provide purposeful, healing-centric work.Mission Over Margin Is a Daily ChoiceHomeboy runs real businesses in real markets, but mission always leads. Profit serves people, not the other way around.Social Enterprise Is About Disrupting SystemsTrue social enterprise challenges who is seen as employable and redefines value in the workforce.Trauma-Informed Workplaces Require Structure, Not SlogansBeing trauma-informed means building roles, teams, and systems that support healing, not just good intentions.Investment in People Is the Hard WorkRaising leaders from within takes time, patience, training, and a willingness to walk alongside people through setbacks.Everyone Doesn’t Automatically Know How to Work Employment success depends on stability, resources, transportation, support, and grace, not just effort.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction 00:30 – Understanding social enterprises03:00 – Homeboy’s unique approach to social enterprise06:59 – Balancing mission and margin18:27 – Trauma-informed workplaces23:18 – Healing-centric workforce development24:14 – The challenges of homegrown leadership25:41 – Investing in internal talent30:42 – The realities of running a social enterprise34:42 – Breaking conventional business wisdom<

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Hector Verdugo and Jose Arellano to uncover what real transformation looks like when it rises out of pain, survival, and the quiet moments no one ever sees. Their journeys begin in places shaped by violence, incarceration, addiction, and childhood wounds carried for decades, but something unexpected happens the moment they walk through Homeboy’s doors: they encounter a kind of love they never knew existed.What starts as a search for a job becomes the beginning of a spiritual awakening, a creative writing assignment that cracks open long-buried memories, a simple handshake that softens lifelong defense mechanisms, a hug from Father Greg that feels more like home than anything they grew up with. Hector and Jose describe how healing does not arrive neatly or instantly, but through tears, reflection, and the slow realization that God was not punishing them; God was accompanying them.As they revisit these stories, they reveal what the Homeboy Way truly is: radical kinship, unconditional acceptance, and the kind of love that meets people exactly where they are. Their reflections remind us that transformation does not replace suffering; it grows through it, and every moment of honesty, every act of courage, and every small gesture of kindness becomes a step toward wholeness and a new way of being.Key TakeawaysLove Comes First,  Transformation FollowsHector and Jose explain how Homeboy’s approach is not about fixing people but loving them. Transformation happens when someone finally feels safe enough to be vulnerable and seen.Healing Begins with Telling the TruthCreative writing classes and quiet moments of reflection cracked open long-buried childhood wounds, allowing emotions to surface for the first time in decades.Kinship Is a Radical, Daily PracticeAccepting, investing, showing up, and staying committed even when it’s messy   is the heart of the Homeboy way.Reimagining Love After TraumaBoth men had to unlearn the violent, survival-based versions of love they grew up with and discover what real compassion, fatherhood, and belonging feel like.The Wilderness as a Healing ClassroomFrom snowboarding to sushi to snorkeling with sharks, new experiences help homies expand their sense of possibility and reclaim a life beyond survival.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:42 – Hector’s arrival at Homeboy and his turning point08:10 – Jose’s near-life sentence, grief, and search for change12:27 – The mystical invitation that led Jose to Homeboy14:39 – Early resistance, fear, and learning to receive kindness17:55 – Childho

For decades, the team at Homeboy Industries has stood witness to a quiet revolution. Lives are rewritten not through force, judgment, or programs alone, but through the slow, steady practice of kinship.In this episode, Tom Vozzo is joined by Hector Verdugo and Shirley Torres to reflect on the stories that have shaped them as much as the people living them. Day after day, people walk into Homeboy carrying the invisible: trauma that shaped them, systems that failed them, and identities formed in survival mode. Over time, through consistency, humor, honesty, frustration, and grace, those same individuals discover the possibility of becoming someone they were never allowed to be.The three reflect on the privilege of walking alongside that transformation, not as saviors or fixers, but as fellow travelers who are changed in the process. At Homeboy, stories are not trophies or statistics. They are teachers. They stretch us, soften us, call us forward, and remind us that everyone is still becoming.Key Takeaways"Exquisite Mutuality" is the Secret SauceTransformation at Homeboy is never a one-way street. It is a reciprocal relationship.Kinship, Not Curriculum, Creates TransformationLove, not lectures, is what shifts shame, fear, or survival instincts into openness and trust.Judgment Doesn’t Grow People; Gentleness DoesA butchered tree still grows back; sometimes the most important thing is simply letting go.Love That Shows Up UnaskedWhen someone calls from federal prison to comfort you in grief, that’s God in work boots.Mutual Healing Is the Secret SauceNo one here is “saving” anyone; everyone is being changed, challenged, raised, and restored.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:29 – The power of stories01:37 – Joanna: anger, armor, and the road to law school03:39 – Parole, board meetings, and unseen burdens05:14 – Humor, respect, and breaking the ice07:32 – Mutual raising in community09:20 – Shirley’s story coming to Homeboy as a kid10:52 – Loss, grief, and the surprise phone call that healed13:05 – Unconditional love within the Homeboy culture13:53 – Luis "Coloso," Butchered Trees, and Letting Go of Control16:38 – Addiction, mental health, and spiritual bypassing18:07 – Angelo: from hoodie to hope20:11 – How do you measure transformation without metrics?23:51 – Choosing compassion when someone is “difficult”24:57 – Times Square, armor, and becoming nine again25:48 – Closing reflections on patience

In this episode, former Homeboy Industries CEO Tom Vozzo sits down with three powerful voices from the Homeboy community: Fabian, Sergio, and Jose. Together, they explore what it truly means to awaken spiritually, especially in the middle of suffering, trauma, addiction, incarceration, and generational pain.While Homeboy is often celebrated for its job programs and re-entry success, the real transformation happens in the unseen places: a prison cell, a childhood memory, a moment of collapse, or in the quiet stillness of a 4:00 a.m. prayer.Fabian, Sergio, and Jose each share how faith emerged not instead of suffering but through it in addiction, violence, poverty, regret, and loss, forming the bedrock of their healing. Their stories challenge the idea of a God who punishes, opening up a more spacious, merciful vision of a God who sustains, accompanies, and restores.They also discuss how spiritual grounding becomes a daily practice of surrender, gratitude, contemplation, and showing up for others, because as they remind us, every word, every step, and every action is a prayer.Key TakeawaysA God Who Sustains, Not PunishesRather than a God who protects us from pain, they speak of a God who walks with us through it, offering mercy, companionship, and unexpected grace.Spirituality Is a Daily PracticeStillness, early morning readings, gratitude lists, sweat lodge wisdom, and Homeboy’s contemplative culture shape their spiritual lives into something lived, not talked about.Community as Evidence of GodHomeboy itself becomes a sacred space: laughter in the hallways, a hug in the right moment, a homie getting his first apartment. Transformation happens together.Forgiveness Evolves Into Mercy and GraceRather than a transactional I forgive you, they learned to offer mercy: Welcome back. Come here. You are home. That same mercy becomes a template for how they see themselves.Joy Is the Fruit of a Healed LifeFrom seeing their children thrive to watching homies grow into their purpose, joy shows up as a quiet anchor, a reminder of how far they have come.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction02:42 – Jose’s spiritual awakening in isolation09:14 – Fabian’s journey from childhood to awakening14:39 – Sergio’s early prayers and spiritual awakening18:18 – Reflections on suffering and God’s presence25:55 – Evolving faith and deepening spiritual insights27:02 – Daily practices for spiritual strength28:01 – Living prayerfully and mindfully29:16 – The power of gratitude32:19 – Faith in action through communit

In today’s episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo and Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. delve into the hidden weight of the labels society places on people. They revisit pivotal moments in Homeboy’s history, recalling times when homies were swiftly branded as “bad” or “evil,” and how those judgments shaped everything that came after. Through these reflections, Father Greg illustrates how behaviors rooted in trauma, addiction, or mental illness are often misread as fixed character traits, creating barriers that keep individuals shut out from opportunity, understanding, and compassion.Tom presses into these memories, asking why the world is so quick to judge and so slow to understand. Father Greg reflects on what decades at Homeboy have made unmistakably clear: people act from pain long before they act from choice, and when we reduce them to their worst moments, we lose sight of the human being still trying to surface beneath it all.Together, they explore how demonizing language stalls progress, why accountability needs compassion to truly work, and how healing begins when we stop treating people as categories and start meeting them as individuals.Key TakeawaysReal transformation begins with how we see people.Father Greg makes it clear that the moment we divide the world into good and bad, we lose the ability to create solutions. Healing only happens when we refuse to label and instead look underneath the behavior to the wounds, trauma, and mental health struggles that shaped it.Goodness is always present, even when it is buried. At Homeboy, people learn to reclaim their dignity because the community holds up a mirror that says you are noble, you are worthy, you belong. When people access that truth, violent behavior evaporates because they stop living from fear and start living from their inherent goodness.Health replaces judgment. Instead of asking who is bad or who is evil, the better question is who is hurting and how can we help them heal. Father Greg shows that demonizing language ends conversation, but curiosity opens a path toward understanding.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction to The Homeboy Way00:44 – Why the "good vs. bad people" myth prevents progress02:16 – The L.A. County Jail as the world's largest mental institution03:00 – The difference between explaining behavior and excusing it04:10 – Moving from "good vs. bad cops" to "healthy vs. unhealthy cops"06:17 – Why Father Greg doesn't believe in "evil"08:18 – How the label "pure evil" almost cost a man his future09:37 – Re-interpreting biblical concepts of demons and evil through a modern lens12:30 – Generational and cultural differences in language

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo sits down with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., the founder of Homeboy Industries, to unpack Homeboy Industries’ long and complicated relationship with government agencies. Fr. Greg reflects on how Homeboy went from reviled to revered, yet still receives little public funding, while Tom recalls early encounters with officials who believed they could do Homeboy’s work better inside the system, unaware of the heart and humanity that drive the mission.Together, they explore why bureaucracy often gets in its own way, shaped by outsider assumptions, political pressure, and a focus on legacy over real impact. They describe shifting relationships with law enforcement, moments of meaningful partnership, and the ongoing struggle to secure support without compromising mission or purity of purpose.This episode reminds us that hope, community wisdom, and authentic relationships, not top-down policies, are what truly transform lives.Key TakeawaysReal change begins with listening to the people on the ground.Policy fails when it’s shaped by outsiders who never ask communities what actually works. Real solutions come from those closest to the struggle.Hope moves people more than punishment ever will.Longer sentences and tougher policing do not stop violence. Homeboy shows that transformation starts when people believe they have a future.Staying true to the mission matters.Homeboy refused to reshape its identity to fit government requirements. Protecting the integrity of their work mattered more than chasing funding.Humility from leaders creates space for real progress.The most impactful officials were the ones willing to listen, ask questions, and admit they didn’t have all the answers.Community programs outperform forced systems.Government agencies often claim they can do the work better, especially in jails, but voluntary healing at Homeboy is far more effective than captive-audience programs.Mental health is the deeper crisis.Rising violence in detention centers points to untreated emotional wounds intensified by trauma, isolation, and the pandemic.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction to The Homeboy Way00:41 – The government's role: good intentions, slow execution02:03 – Homeboy's journey from "reviled to revered"02:54 – The challenge of partnering with bureaucracy05:25 – Resisting funding to protect mission purity08:49 – The problem of the "outsider view" in policy design11:21 – Addressing the "lethal absence of hope"13:28 – Evolving rela

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo sits down with Dr. Robert K. Ross, former CEO of The California Endowment, for a powerful conversation about healing, justice, and what it means to truly see people living at the margins. Reflecting on decades as a pediatrician, public health leader, and philanthropic executive, Dr. Ross revisits the moments that shaped his path from the crack epidemic of the 1980s to the rise of public health as a movement to the day the Homeboy way reshaped how he understood philanthropy.Through vivid stories, he explains why foundations must stop fixing communities and start listening to them. He shares how Homeboy helped him move from research-driven decision-making to a more human, moral, and spiritually grounded approach.Tom and Dr. Ross explore how policy shifts when data meets lived experience, why the government keeps missing the mark, and what real support for marginalized leaders requires.Key TakeawaysReal community change starts with seeing beyond individual problems.Dr. Ross’ journey shows that healing must shift from clinical care to addressing the deeper forces that shape people’s lives. Poverty, violence, addiction, and trauma are not isolated issues but interconnected conditions that require a wider lens.Social determinants must guide every decision.Health is shaped by safety, opportunity, environment, and dignity. The example of women walking in cemeteries for safety makes clear that neighborhoods influence wellness more than medical systems do. Policy and funding must prioritize these realities.Philanthropy works best when it listens.Dr. Ross learned to move from top-down decision-making to partnership. Communities hold wisdom born from lived experience, and real change happens when that wisdom shapes programs, funding, and strategy.Grants carry strategic, moral, and spiritual purposes.They support services, challenge unjust systems, and affirm the humanity of those served. When philanthropy sees people rather than problems, the work becomes deeper, more honest, and more transformative.Invest in Infrastructure, Not Just Mission.For charismatic, mission-driven organizations to endure, funders must also support the operational and business-side capacity building.In This Episode:00:00 – Opening and introduction to Dr. Robert K. Ross01:03 – Dr. Robert K. Ross from pediatrician to philanthropy02:00 – The impact of crack cocaine on communities03:37 – A family story that shifted everything05:08 – Transition to public health and philanthropy09:51 – Challenges and lessons in philanthropy

In this episode, Homeboy Industries Co-CEO Shirley Torres and longtime Clinical Director Fajima Bedran join Tom Vozzo, former CEO of Homeboy Industries, to discuss what truly transforms lives: healing. While Homeboy is widely known for its job programs and re-entry success stories, Father Greg Boyle recognized years ago that the real work lies in healing trauma. Each trainee has endured layers of pain, childhood abuse, foster care, incarceration, addiction, and the mission is not just to ease their misery but to help them become whole.Shirley, Fajima, and Tom explain that healing at Homeboy extends beyond therapy rooms and happens in hallways, morning meetings, and even on the dance floor. Therapy is integrated into everyday life, with community-based counseling and cutting-edge modalities like EMDR and neurofeedback. Through stories of transformation, Shirley and Fajima illustrate how Homeboy’s therapeutic community fosters joy, suffering, and, most importantly, belonging, which they believe is the first and most essential form of medicine.Key TakeawaysThe Community is the ClinicWhere traditional therapy can be sterile, Homeboy’s healing is woven into its fabric through a tap on the shoulder, a shared dance, or a repaired relationship. This community builds the trust necessary for deep clinical work.Healing the Wound, Not Just the BehaviorSystems often focus on changing behavior. Homeboy’s model digs deeper to address the underlying complex trauma and pain, the why behind the behavior, so people can stop transmitting their pain.From "Fixing" to "Accompanying"The goal is not to "save" people, but to walk with them, repair ruptures, and hold the door open. As Shirley says, the staff are "hope in the flesh," living testaments that transformation is possible.In This Episode:03:21 – Whole-person healing and cultural roots of care03:40 – Mental health counseling the Homeboy way07:36 – Building a therapeutic community15:44 – Post-pandemic challenges and psychiatric care19:14 – Dancing, joy, and the power of community22:06 – Father Greg’s philosophy and trauma-informed leadership27:01 – What “trauma-informed” means at Homeboy30:31 – Staying hopeful amid pain and transformationNotable Quotes“We stand with people and we invest in them fully. That means making sure we don't surrender to people just being less miserable.” — Shirley [01:52]“It's the sessions plus the community. That's what makes way for when people are in front of us when they get into therapy.” — Fajima [06:54]“Joy and suffe

Dr. Frank Anderson shares the science of healing and how it connects to the Homeboy way of kinship.Dr. Frank Anderson, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, trauma expert, and best-selling author, breaks down the science and spirituality of trauma healing and how it connects to the work of Homeboy Industries. We discuss why trauma is externally defined while PTSD is a personal response, the difference between single-event trauma and complex trauma, and how healing requires corrective experiences, community, and patience, and why forgiveness should follow healing, not precede it.Dr. Anderson shares why spirituality (not organized religion) is vital for healing, why premature forgiveness can be harmful, and how leaders themselves must confront their own trauma to create workplaces where people thrive. Together, we explore how Homeboy Industries is modeling a trauma-informed approach to community transformation, and why this model can ripple into corporate spaces, executive leadership, and beyond.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:The neuroscience of trauma and why love is the most powerful healing agent.Why forgiveness should follow healing, not precede it.How both victim and perpetrator roles live inside us, and why acknowledging this duality is essential.How trauma-informed workplaces increase productivity, belonging, and engagement.Why Homeboy Industries’ holistic approach offers a blueprint for rethinking therapy, reentry, and leadership.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction00:39 – Why trauma is at the center of healing02:27 – Dr. Anderson’s journey from psychiatrist to healer06:42 – What is trauma, really?08:47 – Understanding complex trauma11:41 – Why mental health therapy works and when it doesn’t14:47 – The power of positive regard and compassion16:09 – The role of forgiveness in healing19:44 – How to release pain and rewire the brain22:58 – Love and connection as tools for recovery25:59 – How Dr. Anderson connected with Homeboy28:09 – Why spirituality matters in healing33:18 – Trauma in leadership and corporate life37:23 – How love transcends fear and violence39:30 – Final reflectionsNotable Quotes"Trauma blocks who we are. And so a lot of clearing and healing in order to be able to kind of step into that position." — Frank Anderson (06:32)"Complex trauma is relational trauma. It's trauma that happens relationally." — Frank Anderson (08:47)"The mental health field has this: you're bad, you're broken. You need to be fixed mentality." — Frank Anders

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo sits down with Fabian Debora, Inez Salcido, and Jose Arellano to explore what recovery truly means at Homeboy Industries. Fabian reflects on his personal journey with addiction, while Inez shares how her team prioritizes stabilizing housing and relationships before addressing substance use. Jose discusses how Homeboy’s strength lies in trust, which guides individuals toward help they may not yet believe they deserve.At Homeboy, recovery is about more than just overcoming addiction; it's about seeing the person behind the pain and offering hope. This episode reminds us that transformation is possible when we walk together, believing in each other’s potential.Key TakeawaysRecovery starts with compassion, not control.Healing begins by meeting people where they are, focusing on stability, safety, and community before anything else. Compassion creates trust, which is the foundation for healing.Addiction is a disease, not a defect.Substance abuse often stems from deep trauma, and recognizing it as a disease helps foster empathy rather than shame, allowing for a more holistic view of the person.Suffering leads to surrender.Real recovery often begins when control is lost, and surrender happens in the midst of pain and rock-bottom moments. Faith and healing are born from this surrender.Recovery is a way of life.Recovery is an ongoing choice to live with honesty and purpose, using tools like the 12 Steps to rebuild life, not just abstaining from substances."Spoonfeed" recovery; don't force it.Recovery should be presented as an inviting choice, empowering individuals to take ownership of their journey, rather than feeling punished or coerced.Love never gives up.At Homeboy, relapse or failure doesn’t mean giving up on someone. The team welcomes people back with patience and hope, believing that every setback is part of the journey forward.In This Episode:00:00 – Introduction to Homeboy Industries00:29 – Demystifying AA and NA01:30 – Challenges of substance abuse02:16 – Approaches to recovery03:19 – Personal stories of addiction05:29 – Building trust and relationships12:39 – The role of rehab and medication19:01 – Spirituality in recovery26:48 – Living the 12 Steps every day31:39 – The importance of community support33:17 – Understanding harm reduction42:14 – Debating marijuana as a gateway drug47:56 – Concluding thoughts on recovery

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Dre Comers and Hector Verdugo to talk about one of the most meaningful parts of life at Homeboy Industries: the morning meeting. Held every weekday, it’s a space where the entire community comes together to connect, reflect, and support each other.Dre shares what it was like joining Homeboy with a background in nonprofit work, and how the culture of presence and honesty made him stay. Hector offers insight into why celebrating small wins, like birthdays or a year of sobriety, matters more than people realize.The episode also features two moving “Thoughts of the Day” from community members. Ricky talks about returning after setbacks and learning to take the program seriously. Debrah, released after 36 years in prison, reflects on what freedom means beyond physical release.This conversation offers a closer look at how daily rituals, real connection, and radical acceptance shape transformation at Homeboy Industries.Key TakeawaysMorning meetings create a space for grounding, joy, and vulnerabilityAuthentic leadership at Homeboy begins with humility and compassionReal change often starts after failure or hesitationWalking away from gang life is emotionally complex and spiritualHomeboy always welcomes people back, no matter how many times they’ve leftFreedom includes emotional and spiritual release, not just physical libertySpirituality is part of the culture, not imposed through religionTransformation happens when people feel loved, safe, and seenIn This Episode[00:00] Introduction[00:27] What is morning meeting and why it matters[00:59] Celebrating sobriety, birthdays, and small wins[02:13] Anatomy of a morning meeting[03:29] The role of “Thought of the Day”[06:08] Ricky’s story: Better Late Than Never[08:28] Leaving your gang and the fear of starting over[09:58] Why Homeboy always gives people another chance[12:04] Debrah’s story: Reentry after 36 years incarcerated[14:21] Adjusting to freedom outside the prison walls[16:23] Unlocking the mind and heart[18:40] Spirituality, prayer, and protection at Homeboy[20:28] Letting go, digging deep, and finding your spirit[22:15] The role of God in self-love and transformationNotable Quotes[11:34] "It's never too late to transform. It was never too late to be loved or to love. It's really never too late to start putting yourself first." — Dre[16:30] "We help gang members, not gangs. We work with gang member

Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., founder of Homeboy Industries, and Tom Vozzo, former CEO of the organization, discuss leadership as mercy rather than management, drawing from Fr. Greg’s four decades of walking with those on the margins. What began as a small bakery in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, to provide jobs for rival gang members, grew into the world’s largest reentry program, measuring success by restored relationships rather than metrics. Fr. Greg emphasizes that unconditional love, trust, and kinship, not fear or performance, are the foundations of effective leadership, where compassion becomes a system that replaces shame with dignity. Despite the grief and exhaustion in such work, humor, hope, and a sense of community sustain it. Homeboy’s success is a spiritual one, a living theology of tenderness, where every act of mercy builds belonging. Their conversation invites listeners to lead with empathy, serve with joy, and embrace love as a transformative strategy.Key TakeawaysLove has to be real and practical - Fr. Greg says it’s not enough to affirm people or hold them in high regard if they’re hungry or can’t pay rent. Love has to show up in concrete ways. Sometimes that means handing someone forty bucks so they can eat today. Small things, done with great love.No strings attached means exactly that - When he helps someone, there’s never a condition tied to it. It’s not “I’ll help you if…” It’s simply help, period. Even if the person uses the money in ways others wouldn’t approve of, it’s still an act of trust. That trust often circles back years later, when someone returns to say thank you.It’s about walking with, not fixing - Fr. Greg doesn’t see his work as saving or solving. It’s an accompaniment. Just being with people as they struggle, cry, laugh, and rebuild. That presence says, “You matter,” louder than any sermon ever could.Stand in the lowly place - The invitation of Jesus, he says, isn’t to rescue anyone but to stand where he stands, among the poor, the forgotten, the demonized. That’s where the joy is, where love always wins.Fr. Greg leaves us with a quiet but radical truth: hope isn’t something you wait for, it’s something you practice. It’s what makes kinship possible and keeps love from ever failing.In This Episode:00:25 – The importance of unconditional support05:21 – Challenges and criticisms of compassion-led leadership09:20 – Fr. Greg’s personal journey and motivation for service19:19 – The role of spirituality in daily work22:51 – Understanding compassion and selflessness23:49 – Engaging with marginalized communities24:59 – The invitation to stand with the poor26:4

In this episode, hear directly from the leaders and lifers of Homeboy Industries: Co-CEO Shirley Torres, Associate Director Hector Verdugo, VP of Operations Steve Avalos, and Case Manager Stephanie Lane, all with decades of combined experience, as they pull back the curtain on the organization's soul.They reveal the core practices that make Homeboy a global model of radical healing: how to cherish the "un-cherishable," why telling someone "come back when you're ready" is an act of love, and how to build a community where everyone is both medicine and patient. This is a raw look at the joy, pain, and transformative power of walking with people without judgment.Key TakeawaysHow the simple act of feeling "seen" can be a profound intervention.Why "come back when you're ready" is an act of love, not punishment.How every staff member, from the front door to the C-suite, acts as a "therapist" and container for healing.The redefinition of success from metrics to individual healing and wholeness.The tangible joy found in daily community, morning meetings, and hugs.In This Episode:00:53 – Introduction05:02 – The essence of Homeboy Industries11:43 – Cherishing and healing at Homeboy13:47 – Redefining success and healing16:09 – Challenges and second chances20:22 – Stories of letting go and coming back21:23 – A tense confrontation22:22 – A heartfelt apology23:07 – The power of mercy and grace24:12 – Building trust and accountability29:20 – Dealing with anger33:25 – The importance of mental health38:45 – Moments of joy and laughterNotable Quotes“It’s so Homeboy to love when other people won’t love, to just give a person a chance and to stand firm.” (00:18)“We’re all just a plant, just need a little bit of water just to grow.” (08:09)“Our healing depends on each other. Every single person who walks through the door, I would say all of us, even volunteers, because we all want human connection. We all need human companionship.” (13:08)“Just because we let someone go doesn’t mean we cut them off. That’s what I love about us.” (00:38)“The most important job here is to stop running from yourself and to explore this question of who are you really?” (00:26)About the GuestsShirley Torres is the Co-CEO of Homeboy Industries. She started 22 years ago, intending to stay for a year, and found her life's purpose. Having held nearly every job at Homeboy, she is a foundational leader in its culture of healing and

When End Poverty in California (EPIC) founder, leader of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, and Homeboy Industries Board Member Michael Tubbs sits down with Tom Vozzo, former CEO of Homeboy Industries, who helmed a $1.6 billion for-profit corporation previously, the conversation turns from policy to practice.Tubbs made headlines as the youngest U.S. mayor (Stockton, California), cutting gun violence by 40 percent and launching a universal basic income pilot that reframed poverty current policy nationwide. Yet as he and Tom discuss, Homeboy Industries has been living those principles for decades, offering belonging as basic income and kinship as public safety.This episode is not about what the government could do better; it’s about what already works. Through Homeboy’s model of employment, healing, and radical inclusion, Tom and Michael show that lasting change starts with relationship, not policy.This episode bridges two worlds: policy and practice. Listeners will see how Homeboy’s reentry model functions as a living economy of care, and why Tubbs calls it “the moral north star for every city that wants to work.Key TakeawaysPolicy Is a Blueprint, Homeboy Is the Building - Tubbs designed programs to lift people out of poverty; Homeboy creates pathways that make poverty obsolete. Jobs, training, therapy, and community operate as one system of care.Kinship Outperforms Bureaucracy - Where city systems stagnate under red tape, Homeboy moves at the speed of trust, responding to trauma, grief, and talent in real time.Economic Justice Is Personal - Homeboy’s “second chance economy” proves that healing is an economic strategy. Every paycheck funds recovery, family stability, and neighborhood peace.Leadership Starts at the Margins - As Tubbs admits, political systems often exclude the very people closest to the problem. Homeboy reverses that hierarchy; its executives are its graduates.From Programs to People - Tubbs sought policy wins; Homeboy cultivates life wins. Transformation is measured not in metrics alone but in mended hearts and restored families.In This Episode:03:47 - Personal loss, family incarceration, and the call to politics08:37 - Violence reduction in Stockton through Advanced Peace09:48 - Government inertia and leadership’s role in disruption17:17 - Poverty, wages, and the working poor22:05 - Guaranteed income pilot outcomes in Stockton31:26 - Nonprofit structure, humanity, and coalition building33:57 - Homeboy as a model: clients → leaders36:26 - Hope,

Welcome to The Homeboy Way, where we share the voices and stories that reveal how belonging, kinship, and courage change lives. In this episode, I sit down with Jose, Dre, and Hector — three men whose childhoods were marked by poverty, instability, and addiction. From selling drugs at 15 to keeping his family housed, to missing holidays because survival came first, to realizing that poverty was invisible until they stepped outside their neighborhood — their stories show us how economics drive choices, how shame takes root, and how the power of community creates another way forward.Key Takeaway:This episode of The Homeboy Way goes deep into how poverty and addiction shape lives — and how Jose, Dre, and Hector transformed their stories into hope.In This Episode:[00:00] Introduction[02:07] Growing up in poverty and the challenges it presented.[04:56] Hector shares his journey of hustling at a young age to survive, leading him to the streets and eventually to Homeboy Industries.[08:23] Dre discusses the emotional challenges of growing up without basic necessities, such as a Christmas tree or regular meals.[14:13] Jose shares how he navigated poverty and took on responsibilities at a young age to care for his family amidst drug addiction and violence.[17:43] Jose explains how he turned to gang life due to a sense of abandonment and the lack of financial stability.[21:20] Dre reflects on the material allure of gang life, especially when compared to the poverty-stricken lifestyle he experienced growing up.[33:21] The group reflects on Father Greg’s approach to giving and how Homeboy Industries provides support for those in need.[49:14] The importance of second chances, generosity, and kinship within the Homeboy community.Notable Quotes:[17:23] "I was just trying to survive, trying to feed my family. I didn’t care about the rest of the world." – Jose[08:48] "You don’t realize the importance of a Christmas tree until you don’t have one." – Dre[33:21] "Money solves problems for poor people. It makes a difference in their survival." – Tom Vozzo[30:12] "You don’t just survive, you thrive because you’ve been given a chance." – HectorResources and LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/<

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., to unpack one of the most frequently asked questions about Homeboy Industries: What’s the secret sauce?Together, they reflect on how Homeboy creates a community where people feel safe, seen, and cherished. Father Greg shares stories from the early days of ministry, remembering names, meeting homies where they’re at, and learning that transformation often starts with the smallest gestures of attention.The conversation explores why real change depends on relational wholeness, how leadership is rooted in listening and humility, and why giving second (or eighth) chances isn’t just compassion, it’s the heart of Homeboy. During their conversation, they revisit formative memories of leaders like Hector Verdugo and Jose, discuss how to balance the presence of rival gangs under one roof, and consider what it really means to trust, forgive, and find sustenance in God.This episode is an honest, moving look at how kinship, not programs or policies, is what heals.Key TakeawaysFaith reframed: God’s role is not to remove challenges but to provide sustenance within them.Outcome vs. presence: True spiritual confidence comes from knowing you are sustained regardless of outcomes.Resilience through faith: Belief in divine sustenance makes it possible to face anything without fear of being abandoned.Shift in orientation: Move from “God has me on this one” to “God is with me in everything.”In This Episode[00:44] What is the “secret sauce” of Homeboy?[02:06] Seen vs. watched: the power of being noticed[05:19] “The priest knows my name”: why attention transforms[07:34] Relational wholeness and remembering names[09:06] Why volunteers should listen first, not rush into friendship[12:27] Leadership through presence and receptivity[13:42] Why Homeboy gives second, third, and tenth chances[15:46] “No hanging, banging, or slanging”: old rules for readiness[17:08] Father Greg’s first memories of Hector Verdugo[19:14] What makes people stay: attention as a drop of water on a dry sponge[21:19] Jose’s story: talent, addiction, and resilience[23:28] Healing as building upon past growth, not starting over[24:34] Why Homeboy works with gang members, not gangs[27:38] Balancing dynamics when homies from the same gang come in[36:09] God as sustenance, not magician[38:38] Forgiveness, shame, and clarity in transformationNotable Quotes[03:13] “You receive the tender glance, and then you become the

Welcome to a special sneak peek into, "The Homeboy Way", hosted by former, longtime CEO of Homeboy Industries, Tom Vozzo, with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J , founder of Homeboy Industries, and voices from inside and outside of Bruno Street. Here, we offer Insights from 4 episodes, as we discuss the myth of second chances, why people join gangs, and how the grace of giving without expectations and not giving up leads to a community of kinship and thriving. Homegrown from Homeboy Media, this podcasts invites you to join us, listen in to conversations and wisdom from the world's largest gang and re-entry program, and take action to implement "the Homeboy Way” -  a radical approach business and life.

The Homeboy Way Podcast invites listeners into stories of healing, kinship, and transformation. Hosted by Tom Vozzo, former longtime CEO of Homeboy Industries, alongside Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., and illuminating guests, the show explores what happens when people are seen, cherished, and given space to heal. The Homeboy team will talk about trauma, redemption, social justice, faith, and business efforts that foster healing, but more than anything, we talk about belonging  - and what happens when you meet people where they're at. The Homeboy Way,  a movement of radical kinship.