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Today's discussion is with a very special person- Father Greg Boyle, an American Jesuit priest and the founder of Homeboy Industries, which is the largest gang rehabilitation and reentry program in the world.

In Father Greg's own words, he says it has been the privilege of his life, for more than 30 years, to have been taught everything of value by gang members and that he stands in awe of what many of the disadvantaged, powerless, voiceless, and marginalized have had to carry in their lives.

Father Greg founded Homeboy Industries nearly 40 years ago at the Dolores Mission Parish in Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles. His work has received the highest recognition - in 2014, former President Obama named Father Greg as a Champion of Change, and President Joe Biden recently awarded him the Congressional Medal of Freedom, a testament to the profound impact he has had on so many people's lives.

Homeboy Industries is built upon two foundational principles that are directly responsible for infusing such a deep sense of love, hope, compassion, and kinship throughout the organization:

1. Everyone is unshakeably good, there are no exceptions.
2. We all belong to each other, and there are no exceptions.

Father Greg believes that no bullet can pierce these truths, and that when gang members know this truth, they begin to inhabit it and develop the compassion and tenderness needed to transform not only their own lives, but the lives of all members of Homeboy Industries.

In our conversation today, Greg shares life lessons he has learned through his work, but also how this work has changed his life for the better and given him the purpose and hope needed to continue his efforts every day.

We also dive into his most recent book, "Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times." I hope as many listeners as possible get their hands on a copy of this book.

Connect with Homeboy Industries: 

Website

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

LinkedIn

Contact Homeboy Industries here.

Father Greg's 2012 Ted Talk

Links to Father Greg's other books: 

Tattoos on the Heart

The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness

Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship