The Homeboy Way

At Puppy Fades, a fresh start happens one dog at a time. Inside Homeboy Industries’ dog grooming business in Pasadena, people rebuilding their lives after homelessness, incarceration, and addiction are finding careers, confidence, and connection. For Hilda, working with dogs has brought something deeply personal: peace of mind.

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, host Tom Vozzo goes behind the scenes with store manager Iris Chen and the Puppy Fades team. From the reception desk to the grooming tables, they share how hands-on training, supportive leadership, and daily problem-solving help employees build skills and take pride in their work.

Groomers Evelyn and David share their recovery, stability, and the patience they bring to caring for anxious dogs. Through their stories, this episode explores how Homeboy Industries’ social enterprise model creates opportunities for meaningful employment, personal growth, and second chances, guided by hope, kinship, and compassion.

Key Takeaways

• A new career can create a fresh start.

  Puppy Fades gives Homeboy participants a path to skilled work and greater independence.

• Working with dogs brings connection.

  Groomers describe finding calm, practicing patience, and building trust with animals.

• Stability supports lasting change.

  Evelyn shares how emotional and mental support helped her prepare for employment.

• Small successes build confidence.

  Iris explains how solving everyday challenges helps employees become more resilient.

• Compassion extends to shelter dogs.

  The team brings its skills to animals who need care and reassurance.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:10] Inside Puppy Fades with store manager Iris Chen

• [00:35] Rosemary and the power of a personal welcome

• [02:28] A tour of the grooming room

• [03:09] Helping anxious dogs build trust

• [05:50] Hilda’s path through grooming training

• [08:08] Finding peace through working with dogs

• [10:04] Iris on leading the Puppy Fades team

• [11:15] Building confidence and learning from mistakes

• [12:55] Earning a reputation for the best bath in Pasadena

• [14:15] Meet groomers Evelyn and David

• [14:48] Recovery, reentry, and choosing a fresh start

• [16:28] Finding emotional support and stability

• [17:32] Discovering a connection with animals

• [22:06] Helping pet parents understand their dogs’ needs

• [23:35] Teamwork and the demands of dog grooming

• [25:12] Hope, kinship, and compassion at work

• [26:12] Bringing care to shelter dogs

• [28:38] Gratitude for Father Greg and Homeboy Industries

Notable Quotes

• “The dogs are very therapeutic for me.It feels good to have that peace of mind now.”- Hilda [08:08]

• “From day one, we've come in and we've made sure that our quality and our safety standards lead as number one, and we follow that with a really good work ethic and positive attitude.”- Iris [12:36]

• “I gave Homeboy two years of my life. I said, ‘Y'all do whatever you want for two years, and if I'm not in a good place then, the street's right there.’”- David [20:20]

• “My family's proud of me. They see me as really dedicated to my job and really responsible.”- Evelyn [21:43]

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

What happens when someone serves their sentence, comes home, and still can’t get a job or find a place to live? For Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, that isn’t a second chance. It’s another barrier to survival. In this episode of The Homeboy Way, she joins Tom Vozzo to discuss poverty, criminal justice reform, and why helping people rebuild their lives takes more than releasing them from prison.

Mayor Bass reflects on the violence and loss that led her to found Community Coalition, her shared commitment to redemption with Father Greg Boyle, and the fight to remove employment barriers for formerly incarcerated people. She shares one striking example: people could train as barbers in prison but were denied the licenses they needed to work after coming home.

The conversation also explores homelessness in Los Angeles, the financial incentives that can undermine efforts to end poverty, and why practical results matter more than political ideology. Through it all, Mayor Bass returns to the people who keep her grounded, explaining how visits to Homeboy Industries restore her hope and strengthen her commitment to the next generation of leaders.

Key Takeaways

• Second chances require a path forward.

  Employment and housing barriers can leave formerly incarcerated people struggling to survive, even after they have completed their sentences.

• Practical reforms can open doors.

  Her work on barber licensing shows how removing a specific restriction can help people turn training into legitimate employment.

• Examine the incentives behind poverty programs.

  Mayor Bass argues that businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies can develop financial interests that conflict with solving the problems they address.

• Challenge assumptions about who becomes poor.

  She pushes back on the idea that hard work alone overcomes structural barriers and explains how contempt shapes public support for services.

• Stay connected to the people the work serves.

  Homeboy visits and street outreach help Mayor Bass remain grounded, resist cynicism, and remember her purpose.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:23] Welcoming Mayor Karen Bass

• [01:12] Finding common ground with Father Greg Boyle

• [03:45] Choosing redemption over punishment

• [04:59] Preventing gang involvement and creating second chances

• [05:30] Addiction, treatment, and unequal responses

• [06:27] Why Mayor Bass initially resisted electoral politics

• [07:05] Community Coalition and youth leadership

• [09:33] Removing barriers after incarceration

• [10:59] Connecting criminal justice reform and homelessness

• [12:43] Trained in prison, denied a barber’s license

• [14:37] Making a point versus making a difference

• [15:19] How poverty became a business

• [17:18] Challenging the myths about poverty

• [18:27] Why community organizations are set up to struggle

• [19:25] Term limits, bureaucracy, and political power

• [20:19] How Homeboy Industries restores hope

• [20:56] A life’s calling and preparing future leaders

• [21:46] Finding strength through faith in people

• [22:35] Closing reflections

Notable Quotes

• “I believed that addiction was a health problem, not a criminal problem.” - Mayor Karen Bass [05:30]

• “There is always something that you can do to make life better, even for people who have been incarcerated for years and years.” - Mayor Karen Bass [14:05]

• “You look for things that provide tangible results to people who are suffering.” - Mayor Karen Bass [16:51]

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

A man takes off his mask, looks up, and smiles as a room full of people applauds him. For Hector Verdugo, that moment in Manila captures what Homeboy Industries brings to communities around the world: the chance to feel seen, valued, and worthy of belonging.

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo welcomes Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. and Hector Verdugo home from Japan and the Philippines. They share the story of Ex-Preso, a coffee enterprise inspired by Homeboy that supports returning citizens, and reflect on bringing a message of compassion and radical kinship to students, business leaders, and people rebuilding their lives after prison.

Together, they explore why successful reentry involves more than job training, how sharing personal stories can challenge judgment, and why love and belonging resonate across cultures. From early-morning conversations in Tokyo to encounters with new partners in Manila, this conversation reveals how Homeboy’s approach to healing and second chances is becoming a global movement.

Key Takeaways

• Being seen can restore a sense of worth.

  Hector describes how recognition and encouragement helped returning citizens in Manila become more comfortable, connected, and willing to be seen.

• Homeboy’s influence reaches beyond Los Angeles.

  Ex-Preso’s housing and barista training illustrate how communities can adapt Homeboy’s approach to support people returning from prison.

• Compassion asks something of people with power.

  When speaking to students and business leaders, the invitation is to recognize what people experiencing poverty carry and respond with understanding.

• Personal stories deserve to stand on their own.

  Fr. Greg gives homies space to tell their stories, trusting that human connection matters more than a polished performance.

• Global kinship grows through mutual support.

  Visiting international partners strengthens relationships and recognizes the work communities are already doing.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:31] Returning from Japan and the Philippines

• [01:48] The “Dublin Four” travel tradition

• [02:53] Ex-Preso: A Homeboy-inspired coffee enterprise in Manila

• [05:18] Helping returning citizens feel seen and valued

• [07:45] Inviting future leaders to lead with compassion

• [08:43] Supporting Ex-Preso through new business opportunities

• [09:47] Why reentry employment starts with healing

• [11:02] How Homeboy’s message connects in the Philippines

• [16:06] The Jesuit community’s commitment to people on the margins

• [16:43] How the trip renewed Hector’s sense of purpose

• [19:43] Fr. Greg on a movement to “shorten the darkness”

• [20:52] Hope and translating kinship into local action

• [24:00] Giving homies the opportunity to tell their stories

• [26:25] Connecting with audiences across cultures

• [29:20] Hector on reaching people who arrive with judgment

• [31:16] Behind the scenes: Coffee and connection in Tokyo

• [35:54] Strengthening the Global Homeboy Network

• [36:50] Closing reflections

Notable Quotes

• “I was really proud to be a Jesuit in that country, 'cause they were very connected to the cry of the poor.” - Fr. Greg Boyle [16:06]

• “We need to build these communities all over the world to make the world into a better place.” - Hector Verdugo [19:01]

• “Love is the next thing to do always.” - Fr. Greg Boyle [20:19]

• “It's not about Homeboy. It's just about love. It's about opening up. It's about community.” - Hector Verdugo [30:39]

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

At Homeboy Industries, a young person can push a therapist away and still find the door open when they return. Tom Vozzo sits down with therapists Fajima Bedran and Jason Delgadillo to explore how trust, belonging, and consistent care help young people heal from childhood trauma. Together, they discuss youth therapy, complex trauma, EMDR, and the relief of realizing that abuse and neglect were never your fault.

Fajima and Jason also examine how food insecurity, unstable housing, substance use, and social media perfectionism complicate youth mental health. They share how Homeboy’s community extends support beyond therapy, why forgiveness should never be forced, and how avoiding painful feelings can keep those wounds active. Their conversation reveals what becomes possible when people have both practical support and someone who keeps showing up.

Key Takeaways

• Youth therapy requires patience and persistence.

  Young people may initially challenge or reject a therapist. Keeping the relationship available gives them a chance to return when they are ready.

• Recognizing trauma can ease self-blame.

  Fajima and Jason discuss how understanding childhood abuse and neglect can help people recognize that they did not deserve what happened to them.

• Community carries healing beyond the session.

  At Homeboy, people leave therapy and return to a community that encourages treatment and reinforces the care they experience in the room.

• Avoiding pain does not make it disappear.

  Fajima and Jason explain how suppressed feelings can surface elsewhere, including in relationships, and why acknowledging pain matters to healing.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:25] Tom welcomes Fajima Bedran and Jason Delgadillo

• [02:13] How mental health therapy began at Homeboy Industries

• [04:50] Understanding complex trauma and early relationships

• [06:59] What it means to do therapy the Homeboy way

• [08:03] Judgment, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard

• [11:54] Why Jason wanted to work at Homeboy

• [13:59] How youth therapy differs from adult therapy

• [15:41] Childhood neglect, abuse, and attachment wounds

• [17:15] The relief of realizing it was not your fault

• [19:05] What keeps young people coming back to therapy

• [22:06] How Homeboy’s community reinforces therapy

• [24:39] Helping young people explore their emotional wounds

• [27:25] Why suppressed emotions come out in other ways

• [30:33] Are love, forgiveness, and mercy essential to healing?

• [32:58] Care, intimacy, and boundaries in therapy

• [35:10] Faith, self-love, and healing

• [37:54] Food insecurity, housing, and substance use

• [40:34] Combining emotional support with practical help

• [42:29] Social media misinformation and youth perfectionism

• [45:34] Why avoiding painful feelings can get in the way

• [47:19] What gives Fajima and Jason hope

• [49:13] Recognizing Homeboy’s mental health team

Notable Quotes

• “There's a caring that happens in the room and outside of the room at Homeboy, which we're lucky to have, that is really important in terms of the client feeling like this person really cares for me.” - Fajima [31:39]

• “I like to think sometimes that I hold the torch for hope that things are gonna get better, because they really are, if you think about it. There are places like Homeboy. There's really a lot of hope in the world, and I would argue that although there's a lot of things that are bad, there are also a lot of things getting better.” - Jason [48:20]

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

After 17 years in prison, Gabby Hidalgo came home to a family that still saw the person she used to be. Alejandro Zapata returned to Homeboy after a second prison term, determined to leave behind the fast money and experiences he never wanted to repeat. At Homeboy Industries, both found people willing to believe in their future, even when rebuilding their lives felt overwhelming.

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo and co-host Dre Comers, Director of the Homeboy Art Academy, join Gabby and Alejandro for an honest conversation about life after prison, youth mentorship, and healing through art. Gabby shares how she graduated college at 40, became a navigator supporting young adults, and turned to photography after losing her best friend. Alejandro discusses finishing high school, pursuing a career as an electrician, and finding focus through graffiti and drawing.

Together, they explore the challenges of prison reentry, the importance of mental health support, and why creative expression can matter even when becoming an artist is not the goal. From Father Greg’s unconditional welcome to Gabby’s determination to interrupt cycles of gang violence and abuse, their stories reveal how consistent support, compassion, and second chances help people build a different life.

Key Takeaways

• Consistency creates belonging.

  Support groups, education, and dependable relationships helped Gabby find a sense of family at Homeboy Industries.

• Fast money comes with a long-term cost.

  Alejandro reflects on how incarceration changed his thinking about income, lost time, and the opportunities he wants to pursue.

• Lived experience can guide youth mentorship.

  Gabby draws on her own history to speak honestly with young adults and help them recognize paths that could lead to incarceration.

• Art can support healing without becoming a career.

  Dre explains the value of creative expression, while Alejandro describes the focus he finds in graffiti and working with pastels.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [01:04] Meet Gabby, Alejandro, and Homeboy Art Academy director Dre

• [02:06] Dre’s full-circle return to working with youth

• [02:53] Gabby finds Homeboy after 17 years in prison

• [04:13] Reentry anxiety and finding support through women’s empowerment

• [06:58] Returning to Homeboy and graduating college at 40

• [08:06] Alejandro’s journey from juvenile camp to a second chance

• [10:09] Rethinking fast money and the cost of incarceration

• [11:42] Showing up with intention at the Homeboy Art Academy

• [12:23] The prison experiences Alejandro never wants to repeat

• [15:48] Why Gabby wants to interrupt gang violence and abuse

• [18:01] Honest conversations and support for young adults

• [21:15] What makes the Homeboy Art Academy different

• [23:40] Why creative expression matters beyond earning money

• [24:58] Father Greg’s help and an open door to return

• [28:38] How Homeboy changed Dre’s approach to compassion

• [31:25] Finding joy in family, nature, and everyday life

Notable Quotes

• “You could meet new people, new opportunities. You just never know what's in store for you.” Alejandro [11:23]

• “I'm grateful to be here. I'm grateful with the kids. I'm grateful for the opportunity, like being able to share my life story because I don't want none of them to go through that.” - Gabby [17:30]

• “Not everyone is gonna be an artist and go into a pathway that they're gonna start making money from.” - Dre [23:46]

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

In the late 1980s, a young social worker in Watts kept hearing she had to meet a priest in Boyle Heights. She didn't like priests. She didn't like religion. But she finally made the call.

What happened in that first meeting, and in the decades that followed, changed how Dr. Jorja Leap saw gangs, research, and her own life.

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo, former CEO of Homeboy Industries, sits down with Jorja, a UCLA professor, longtime friend of Father Greg Boyle, and a self-described "Homeboy elder." She takes us back to a time when there was no Homeboy, when a city was afraid, and when almost no one believed in the people Greg did. She shares what she discovered by simply showing up, why funders and government kept Homeboy at arm's length, and what she'd tell any nonprofit fighting for support.

She also gets personal about how Homeboy became her chosen family, a woman who has stayed in her heart for years, and the one time she and Fr. Greg really fought.

Key Takeaways

• Violence is multifaceted, so the response has to be too. 

  Jorja compares gang violence to cancer: cutting out the tumor never worked on its own. She says no single approach, and no "typical" gang member, exists. 

• Relationships were the intervention. 

  Her early research at Homeboy found that no specific strategy explained the results. Community, transferable skills, and seeing other former gang members succeed gave people the confidence to believe they could change too. 

• Relapse is part of the process, not a failure. 

  Jorja prefers "relapse" to "recidivism" and describes people as "struggling," not failing. She advises nonprofits to put a comma in place of the period: "We have an 18-month program, and very few people make it through the first time." 

• Bring in a researcher early, but don't let a rigid funder rewrite your mission. 

  She urges nonprofits to partner with a university researcher early and often. She and Tom also criticize control groups that deny services to people in need, and she argues that if a funder insists on one, "you don't want their money."  

• Homeboy never gives up on anyone. 

  Jorja describes a woman she has watched at Homeboy since 2008 who is still struggling and still trying. To her, that is what Homeboy stands for: hope, not just success. 

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction

• [01:32] Meeting Father Greg before Homeboy existed

• [03:37] The "super predator" myth

• [06:40] Why violence is multifaceted

• [11:40] Pitching Fr. Greg on research

• [14:48] Relapse, not recidivism

• [18:07] What the research found: relationships

• [21:05] The study's results

• [23:06] Why foundations hesitated

• [26:37] LA County, the "bad boyfriend"

• [30:28] Advice for nonprofits

• [31:40] The trouble with control groups

• [35:19] Explaining an 18-month program

• [36:28] How Homeboy changed Jorja

• [41:20] Being Fr. Greg’s friend 

• [43:24] Closing 

Notable Quotes

• "The effectiveness was based on relationships." - Jorja Leap [00:18:18]

• "Homeboy never gives up on anyone." - Jorja Leap [00:39:50] 

• "Greg Boyle has taught me in the purest sense, the meaning of unconditional love." - Jorja [42:32] 

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Jorja Leap

• https://luskin.ucla.edu/profile/jorja-leap/

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorja-leap-a30a451a5/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

What do you do when you're tired of the life you're living but have no idea where to start? Paradise Adamson asked that question in a prayer on a dirt hillside beside the freeway, at what she calls her rock bottom. What followed was an arrest over a missing TAP card, time in county jail and in treatment, and a string of people telling her she should check out Homeboy.

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Paradise, now a navigator at Homeboy Industries who went through the 18-month trainee program herself. She shares how she went from rock bottom to walking through Homeboy's doors for the first time. She talks about what it meant to be honest in an interview when every past job had taught her to hold something back, and how she learned to treat anger as a signal instead of a flaw. She also explains why she believes healing works best as a toolbox rather than a single fix, and what it takes to guide new trainees through the same fears she once had.

Her story is a reminder that transformation doesn't require a plan. It can begin with showing up, telling the truth, and letting yourself be accepted as you are.

Key Takeaways

• Sometimes the hardest part is finding a starting point. 

  Paradise reflects on reaching rock bottom and struggling to figure out where to begin. Homeboy became the opportunity she had been praying for. 

• Honesty was the game changer. 

  She feared that being open about her past would work against her. At Homeboy it was exactly what was asked of her, and she says being that honest for the first time gave her room to grow. 

• Addiction takes many forms. 

  Paradise learned that anything not used in moderation can become an addiction, including anger, harsh self-talk, and even depression. 

• Grief isn't something to stop; it's something to carry well. 

  She doesn't try to stop missing her loved ones. She focuses on how she represents them. 

• Healing is a toolbox. 

  Rather than expecting one class or one insight to fix everything, Paradise takes what fits from each and leaves the rest. 

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction

• [01:00] A prayer near the train tracks, and an arrest over a TAP card

• [04:24] Hearing about Homeboy in jail and in treatment

• [06:27] Showing up for intake and interview

• [07:10] Being honest about her past for the first time

• [08:38] Celebrating one year of sobriety at Homeboy

• [10:09] What was different about this prayer

• [13:15] Learning through hardship and changing how she prays for her siblings

• [14:42] Advice for avoiding addiction: everything in moderation

• [16:04] Why she vents out loud in the morning

• [17:41] Being tired of the life and having no starting point

• [19:23] Still working on her emotions as a trainee

• [20:58] Understanding anger as a secondary emotion

• [22:01] Embracing grief instead of trying to stop it

• [23:26] Building a toolbox from Homeboy's classes

• [24:15] Working in the Homeboy Cafe

• [26:05] Why trainees should embrace the social enterprises

• [27:11] What keeps her grounded

• [27:48] Why navigator may be the hardest job at Homeboy

• [29:23] Where she sees herself in the next few years

• [30:31] What Father Greg means to her 

Notable Quotes

• "If I'm always pretending, then I can never authentically grow." - Paradise [09:26] 

• "Anything that's not used in moderation could become addiction." - Paradise [15:04] 

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

After surviving a brain hemorrhage and facing stage-four metastatic cancer, Fr. Frank Buckley, S.J. describes the past year as both the hardest and the best of his life. His experience revealed something he had spent years searching for: God was not somewhere “out there.” God was already present within him, and in the people surrounding him at Homeboy Industries.

In this deeply personal conversation, Tom Vozzo is joined by Mikala Rahn, Fr. Frank Buckley, S.J., and Mary Ellen Burton to explore how Homeboy Industries has transformed their understanding of God, faith, and unconditional love. Mikala shares why curiosity protects us from judgment and how loving ourselves is inseparable from accepting God’s love. Mary Ellen reflects on arriving at Homeboy broken, being welcomed into the community, and discovering a God who is “relaxed and smiling.”

Together, they examine faith in action, the relationship between suffering and joy, and the difference between helping people and walking alongside them in kinship. They also discuss spiritual doubt, contemplative practice, cherished belonging, and why Homeboy can feel more like church than church itself. This episode is an honest exploration of what becomes possible when faith moves beyond belief and becomes a way of being with others.

Key Takeaways

• God can be found in the chaos.

  Homeboy Industries may not look peaceful from the outside, but its relationships reveal a deeply present, loving, and nonjudgmental God.

• Accepting God’s love requires self-love.

  Believing that God loves us unconditionally is only part of the journey. We must also confront the barriers that prevent us from loving ourselves.

• Kinship is different from rescuing people.

  The goal is not to fix or save someone. It is to stand beside them and allow both people to be changed through the relationship.

• Homeboy offers a different model of leadership.

  Humble leadership is rooted in relationships, openness, and a willingness to be corrected while staying grounded in the mission.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction to The Homeboy Way

• [01:28] How Homeboy changed Mikala’s understanding of God

• [03:25] Mary Ellen arrives at Homeboy broken and finds love

• [04:18] Discovering a God who is relaxed and smiling

• [08:35] Fr. Frank’s hardest and best year

• [10:58] Experiencing the kingdom of God in a Homeboy classroom

• [11:38] A God too busy loving us to judge us

• [13:05] Finding unexpected joy after a devastating diagnosis

• [14:01] The dream that changed Fr. Frank’s surgery experience

• [19:04] The daily practices that keep Mary Ellen grounded

• [20:19] Finding Jesus in Homeboy’s “secure village”

• [21:46] Why Homeboy can feel more powerful than Sunday church

• [24:40] Mikala receives an unexpected “ticket to heaven”

• [27:13] Why suffering and resurrection belong together

• [28:13] Cherished belonging and the Homeboy model of healing

• [36:38] Fr. Richard Rohr, Henri Nouwen, Rumi, and belovedness

• [38:15] Finding spiritual teachers in everyday life

Notable Quotes

• “All you need to do in this life is take in that you are beloved and support anybody who comes across your path in taking that in for themselves.” - Mary Ellen Burton [05:39]

• “At Homeboy, we learn to meet what Fr. Greg says, ‘A God who is way too busy loving us to judge us.’” - Fr. Frank Buckley, S.J. [11:38]

• “I’m a kinship person. I wanna be with someone so that I’m transformed as much as they’re transformed.” - Mikala Rahn [26:14]

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

What does it take to rebuild your life after prison, addiction, grief, and years of being told you will never change? For Nickloos Tate and Washea Beverly, transformation began when they stopped allowing their pasts to dictate their futures and found a community willing to believe in them.

Nickloos shares how a life-changing question inside prison, “Do you want life, or do you want to live life?”, helped him change direction after 14 years behind bars. Washea opens up about recovery, rebuilding her relationship with her son, and using stand-up comedy to find light in painful experiences.

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo and Hector Verdugo explore how Homeboy Industries creates second chances through kinship, accountability, laughter, and unconditional support. Nickloos also performs “Drive to You,” an original song he wrote while incarcerated, and explains why his greatest ambition is helping someone else succeed.

Key Takeaways

• Your past is part of your story, not your identity.

  Nickloos refuses to hide his former gang involvement or incarceration, but he no longer allows those experiences to define the man he is becoming.

• Choosing life requires deciding what to do with it.

  A fellow incarcerated man challenged Nickloos to think beyond getting released and seriously consider what kind of life he wanted to build.

• Recovery begins with honest acceptance.

  Washea explains how accepting the consequences of her past allowed her to stop defending herself and begin moving forward.

• Homeboy Industries welcomes people from every background.

  Washea initially wondered whether she belonged because she had never been in a gang or prison. What she discovered was a community built around love, accountability, and personal transformation.

• Accountability is an expression of love.

  Homeboy does not abandon people when they struggle. It offers correction, another opportunity, and the invitation to return when they are ready.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [03:03] Nickloos Tate’s first days after leaving prison

• [03:35] Meeting Father Greg inside juvenile hall

• [04:47] The handwritten letter that brought Nickloos home

• [05:24] Why Nickloos refuses to hide from his past

• [14:01] Washea Beverly opens up about addiction and her legal cases

• [15:01] Arriving at Homeboy and questioning whether she belonged

• [16:06] Working to rebuild her relationship with her son

• [18:07] Why Nickloos chooses to smile after surviving violence

• [20:51] Washea’s decision to choose peace and light

• [23:00] Teaching her son to remain cautious but lead with love

• [30:17] How Washea became a stand-up comedian

• [32:37] Laughter, accountability, and everyday life at Homeboy

• [40:45] Nickloos’ goal of writing music for other artists

• [42:37] Live performance of “Drive to You”

• [48:09] How Homeboy helped Nickloos rebuild his life

• [55:50] Washea explains what brings her joy

• [56:22] Closing reflections

Notable Quotes

• “My past don’t define who I am, but it also is a reflection of where I came from.” - Nickloos Tate [05:24]

• “I choose to choose peace. I choose the lighter side of life, only because we all go through something.” - Washea Beverly [20:51]

• “You be cautious in this world, but you lead with love, and love will follow you.” - Washea Beverly [23:32]

• “A hand up means I’m just pulling you up and showing you there’s another way to do it.” - Nickloos Tate [41:26]

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media

Technical team: Ronald Dennison and David Carpinteyro

A life shaped by survival can make change feel almost impossible. Mike Tyson knows that world firsthand. So does Jose Arellano, whose childhood in a multigenerational gang family led him into the streets, juvenile hall, and eventually prison. Miguel Tyson’s story takes a different path, shaped by a mother who taught him through her actions that helping others is a way of living.

When Jose returned home after six years in prison, he was carrying trauma and struggling to adjust to life outside. Then he called Homeboy Industries looking for a job. His past could have closed the door, but instead, it opened one. Even after setbacks, the Homeboy community continued to welcome him back. Today, Jose is the organization's Vice President of Operations and an entrepreneur.

In this episode of The Homeboy Way, Tom Vozzo and co-host Jose Arellano sits down with legendary boxer Mike Tyson and his son Miguel Tyson to talk about the mentors who shaped them, the communities that helped them survive and grow, and the responsibility to give others the opportunities they were given. From boxing and incarceration to service, entrepreneurship, and the new Homeboy gym, their stories come together around a powerful idea: sometimes transformation begins when someone sees possibility in you before you can see it in yourself.

Key Takeaways

• Homeboy becomes a place to rebuild.

  After six years in prison, Jose returned carrying trauma and struggling to adjust, eventually finding his way to Homeboy Industries.

• Second chances require persistence.

  Homeboy welcomes people back even after setbacks and relapse, creating a community where people society has written off are given another opportunity.

• Survival can shape what feels normal.

  Mike and Jose reflect on growing up surrounded by crime, poverty, violence, and environments where survival became the norm.

• A mentor can change a life.

  For Mike, boxing and the mentorship of Bobby Stewart created a path beyond the world he knew.

• Giving creates purpose.

  Mike explains that he started the Tyson Foundation because he wanted to use his reach and resources to do meaningful work and help people.

• Belief can unlock potential.

  Mike argues that helping people believe in themselves, while understanding the value of work, struggle, and sacrifice, can change how they see what is possible.

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:24] Jose's story: three generations of gang life to incarceration

• [03:11] The phone call that got Jose hired at Homeboy

• [04:23] Jose's path from client to VP of Operations

• [04:47] Mike Tyson on his upbringing and the Tyson Foundation

• [07:45] Mike’s "awakening" moment through boxing

• [08:20] Miguel on discovering Homeboy and starting the gym project

• [11:36] Homeboy's reliance on donor generosity

• [12:19] Mike on poverty as a "frame of mind"

• [13:07] Why even a bad mentor beats no mentor

• [14:55] Miguel on his mother's activism and his global mission work

• [16:56] Giving as self-love

• [18:20] Jose's business, Tepito Coffee, and its meaning

• [19:09] Homeboy's mission: healing, community, and job skills

• [20:04] Closing thanks and reflections on family 

Notable Quotes

• "You only keep what you have by giving it away." — Jose [17:09]

• "Even a bad mentor is better than having no mentor." — Mike Tyson [13:12]

• "Poor is a frame of mind... it's all about believing in yourself." — Mike Tyson [12:41] 

Resources and Links

Homeboy Industries

• https://homeboyindustries.org/

• https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos

• Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/

Homeboy Media 

• https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/

Thomas Vozzo

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo

• The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X

Credits:

Hosted by: Tom Vozzo

Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media