The Homeboy Way

Joe Tarin never imagined he would one day lead a business that helps transform lives. After years of addiction, incarceration, and believing he didn't belong anywhere, one conversation with a friend led him through the doors of Homeboy Industries. What began with fear and uncertainty eventually became a journey of healing, recovery, and leadership.

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Joe Tarin, the newly promoted manager of the Homeboy Merchandise Store, to talk about his remarkable transformation. Joe shares how rehab changed his perspective, why Homeboy gave him hope when no one else would, and how managing a business is about far more than sales. It's about creating a safe space where people rebuilding their lives can grow with confidence.

Together, they explore what makes Homeboy's social enterprises different, why communication and connection matter just as much as business results, and how every purchase supports someone working toward a brighter future. Joe also reflects on his goals, his passion for helping others in recovery, and why products with a purpose can truly change lives.

Key Takeaways

• Growth starts by changing what you value

  Joe realized he had been chasing approval for the wrong things. Homeboy helped him replace instant gratification with purpose and personal growth.

• Recovery requires accepting support 

  After relapsing, Joe chose rehab and returned to Homeboy, where accountability and compassion allowed him to rebuild his life.

• One opportunity can restore hope

  When Father Greg offered Joe a job despite his past, it became the turning point that showed him he was worthy of a second chance.

• Every product has a purpose

  The merchandise store isn't just about selling apparel. Every purchase helps fund training, support, and opportunities for people beginning their own transformation.

• Supporting Homeboy changes lives

  Every sale strengthens multiple social enterprises, creates meaningful employment, and helps more people rebuild their lives and reconnect with their families.

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:57] The concept of stranger danger

• [02:14] Joe's road to Homeboy

• [03:32] Meeting Father Greg

• [03:56] Relapse and rehab return

• [05:28] Finding joy after rehab

• [06:05] From recycling to retail

• [07:12] New store manager life

• [08:07] Learning business basics

• [09:02] Training and leadership

• [10:15] Recovery through service

• [11:20] Selling books and swag

• [11:59] Future goals and peer support

• [12:53] Product with a purpose tour

• [13:29] Best sellers showcase

• [14:54] Designing the teal crewneck

• [16:34] Candles and morning meetings

• [17:50] Closing thanks and outro 

Notable Quotes

• "When he says hope, I believe in hope for real." — Joe Tarin [03:33]

• "It's not just a logo. These are products with a purpose." — Joe Tarin [13:07]

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 spending years interviewing homies, healers, and thought leaders, Tom Vozzo finally finds himself on the other side of the microphone. In this special episode of The Homeboy Way, Dyamond Watts, Angel Rodriguez, and Vianka Villagomez turn the tables on Tom and ask the questions that reveal the person behind the leadership lessons.

Tom reflects on his journey from corporate America to serving nearly 13 years as CEO of Homeboy Industries. He explains why compassion and business performance are not opposing ideas, how companies can build more engaged workforces, and why providing good jobs to people experiencing poverty is both morally responsible and economically smart.

The conversation also explores Tom’s spiritual growth, the ego and pride he had to release, his friendship with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., and the pressure he carried while leading Homeboy Industries. Through honest stories, laughter, and a few unexpected questions, Tom shares how Homeboy transformed his understanding of success, leadership, belonging, and what it means to help people discover their own worth.

Key Takeaways

• Compassion and business results can coexist.

  Tom challenges the belief that successful companies must choose between caring for employees and delivering strong results. Engaged, supported employees are more likely to remain loyal, productive, and invested in the organization’s success.

• True fulfillment is found in relationship.

  Corporate achievement gave Tom financial success, but it did not provide the deeper fulfillment he later discovered through service, kinship, and working alongside others.

• Purpose is sustained through action.

  For Tom, faith is not only about reflection or prayer. It means waking up each day and doing something concrete to help another person.

• Anger can be acknowledged without being carried forever.

  Tom speaks candidly about his frustration with the bias and discrimination homies continue to experience, while explaining why his daily spiritual practice helps him release that anger.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction: Turning the tables on Tom Vozzo

• [01:35] What corporate America misunderstands about compassionate leadership

• [04:33] How good jobs, fair wages, and employee support strengthen businesses

• [06:55] What Tom recognized in Homeboy trainees and emerging leaders

• [09:00] The emptiness of corporate success and redefining what it means to win

• [10:57] Letting go of ego, pride, and the need to prove yourself

• [13:09] What motivates Tom, and the pressure of leading Homeboy Industries

• [16:29] Spiritual practice, anger, and confronting society’s treatment of homies

• [18:49] The hugs, laughter, and relationships that surprised Tom at Homeboy

• [19:47] Meeting Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. and becoming CEO of Homeboy Industries

• [22:19] Why Tom stepped down and prepared the next generation of leaders

• [24:17] The wisdom behind The Homeboy Way and Tom’s message to listeners

Notable Quotes

• “The true way to get to belonging, compassion, and kinship is working on ourselves to heal.” — Tom Vozzo [06:03]

• “Wake up every day and look to help people.” — Tom Vozzo [15:09]

• “Being CEO of Homeboy is the best job I’ve ever had.” — Tom Vozzo [22:25]

• “You can run a business or you can run your life with the values of kinship, compassion, and love.” — Tom Vozzo [24:49]

• “We are loved. It’s easy to say, but not enough people believe that.” — Tom Vozzo [25:17]

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

Kimberly Moore went from a mattress in a crack house to building a $51 million campus in one of Louisville's most violent neighborhoods. The moment that changed everything came when she watched a six-year-old girl get slapped by her mother for saying she was hungry. Kimberly got up, walked out, and went to treatment. She has been sober since 1998.

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Kimberly Moore to talk about second chances, speaking truth to power, and what it really means to never forget where you came from. Kimberly now works alongside the police who used to lock her up and has the attorney general on speed dial. She challenges donors with a simple question. "Do you want to do good, or do you want to feel good?" When a funder said no, Kimberly did not get angry. She heard "not right now." Two years later, they gave her $50,000.

For her 60th birthday, Kimberly brought everyone to the Muhammad Ali Center, the people she got high with and the people who helped her get sober. She will not apologize for her life getting good, and she will not dim her light for anyone still in darkness. Her credentials? "A PhD from the streets."

Key Takeaways

• Look underneath the behavior

  Behavior often reflects deeper struggles like trauma, family conflict, or unstable housing. Real support begins by addressing the root cause.

• Delay is not denial

  Kimberly sees rejection as "not right now." Persistence turned one funding rejection into a future $50,000 grant.

• Someone took a chance on you, too

  Because someone believed in her, Kimberly believes others deserve the same opportunity to change.

• Sobriety doesn't mean leaving people behind

  Recovery didn't separate Kimberly from her community. She stays connected so others know help is always available.

• Change happens on its own timeline

  People change when they're ready. Kimberly's turning point came from within, not from pressure or persuasion.

• Don't count the addict out

  Someone believed in Kimberly when she couldn't repay them. That grace shaped her commitment to helping others recover.

• Withholding a chance wastes potential

  One mistake shouldn't define a life. Second chances allow people to discover their purpose.

• A PhD from the streets still counts

  Kimberly embraces her past and uses it to lead, refusing to apologize for where she came from or where she's going.

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:27] Meet Kimberly Moore

• [01:27] Kimberly’s work today

• [02:22] Leaving politics for purpose

• [03:27] Truth to power on violence

• [07:26] Finding Homeboy Network

• [09:05] Building a one-stop campus

• [11:36] Second chances and self-care

• [14:44] Getting sober for real

• [17:35] Why people deserve more chances

• [18:33] Second chances mindset

• [19:44] Hard truths with families

• [22:58] Right time for change

• [24:52] Not apologizing for growth

• [26:15] Therapy and boundaries

• [27:04] Do good or feel good

• [28:39] Homeboy redefines success

• [29:57] Owning your story

• [30:54] Hope and legacy

Notable Quotes

• “I don't operate in fear, and I see so many people in corporate America that operate in fear, and I just don't.” — Kimberly [18:13]

• “Being brought out of darkness comes with the responsibility to be a light for others.” — Kimberly [00:23:44]

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

When Tom Vozzo stepped down as CEO of Homeboy Industries after thirteen years, he thought he would finally get some peace. What he did not expect was how much he would still need the place and how much it would still need him. In this episode, Tom sits down with founder Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. to talk about what happens when you stop running an organization but refuse to leave it behind.

Fr. Greg admits it was not always easy letting go. But he learned early that Homeboy's magic is not in its policies or programs. It is in the noticing. The text that says "How was your weekend?" The homie who turns around and walks back to greet you because they saw you park. The simple act of paying loving attention.

They unpack the question that has guided Fr. Greg for decades. "What do we think we are doing here?" It is a check against conventional wisdom, a reminder that you do not punish wound. You heal it. And they share why no kid ever joins a gang seeking adventure. They are always fleeing something.

With board members, with travelers on the road, with homies finding their voice on stage, the answer is always the same. Tell your story. Stay humble. And remember, none of us got here on our own.

Key Takeaways

• Compassion starts with understanding

  When you understand what someone has survived, it's harder to judge them and easier to walk alongside them.

• Privilege is often the luck of the draw

  Fr. Greg reflects on how easily his life could have gone differently. Sometimes geography, circumstance, and opportunity make all the difference.

• Success should make us humble

  Tom shares how Homeboy challenged his assumptions about leadership and taught him to listen before offering solutions. 

• Punishment isn't part of the Homeboy Way

  Homeboy doesn't focus on consequences for their own sake. The goal is transformation, not punishment. 

• Name the wound, not the behavior

  When organizations focus only on behavior, they miss the deeper issue. Healing begins when we understand what's underneath. 

• It's all wound, all the time

  The Homeboy philosophy starts with a simple belief: beneath most destructive behavior is pain, trauma, or loss that has never been healed. 

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction

• [01:05] Fr. Greg's role today

• [02:06] Letting go of leadership

• [04:21] How to lead without taking over

• [06:40] Asking the right questions

• [08:28] Choosing compassion over punishment

• [11:56] When gang members were written off

• [14:14] Why people deserve another chance

• [16:10] Leadership, boards, and trust

• [18:15] What privilege really means

• [21:39] Knowing what you don't know

• [23:31] Why stories change minds

• [25:57] Staying connected to the mission

• [28:17] Why Homeboy doesn't believe in punishment

• [30:19] The power of being seen

• [32:55] Taking homies on the road

• [34:01] Helping people find their voice

• [37:27] Trust, responsibility, and travel

• [39:46] Lessons from the road

Notable Quotes

• "No hopeful kid has ever joined a gang. They're always fleeing something." — Greg [00:36:16]

• "The homies have taught me everything of value. That's not hyperbole. I really believe that." — Greg [00:20:21]

• "You have to name things correctly, otherwise you're gonna go down a rabbit hole. Homeboy knows that this is all wound. It's all wound all the time." — Greg [00:29:50]

• "I would never let you go. I understand the benefit and how rich this place is. But you're the boss, and you get to decide whether you stay here or not." — Greg [00:14:37]

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

Actor Lauren Tom has spent decades moving audiences through roles in The Joy Luck Club, Friends, Futurama, and more. But in this episode of The Homeboy Way, she joins Tom Vozzo to talk about the story that moved her: Homeboy Industries. After reading Fr. Greg Boyle S.J.’s Tattoos on the Heart and hearing him speak, Lauren knew she had to get involved, even if she didn’t yet know what she could offer.

What began with a book club and a muddy early Homeboy 5K became a 15-year relationship with the organization, its mission, and its people. Lauren shares how Fr. Greg became a spiritual mentor, how Homeboy helped her move from fear to compassion, and why being honored as a Community Hero at Lo Máximo meant more to her than any Hollywood award ever could.

Together, Tom and Lauren explore second chances, first chances, belonging, fandom, representation, and the simple but radical idea that relationships change everything. This is a conversation about what happens when people are seen with love, and how one person, one introduction, one act of compassion, can help someone remember they belong.

Key Takeaways

• Homeboy turns fear into relationship.

  Lauren shares how she used to feel afraid when seeing someone with gang tattoos. Through Homeboy, that fear shifted into recognition, humanity, and a simple willingness to say hello.

• Second chances are often first chances.

  Tom and Lauren discuss how many Homeboy trainees were never given a real first chance to be loved, believed in, educated, or seen without judgment.

• Belonging is a healing force.

  Whether at the Homeboy 5K, Lo Máximo, or a fan convention, Lauren sees the same human need everywhere: people want to belong to something bigger than themselves.

• Hope is an everyday practice.

  Lauren reminds us that hope is not passive. It can be as small as making one phone call, building one relationship, or asking one person to help.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [01:17] How Lauren first discovered Homeboy Industries

• [02:06] Why Fr. Greg’s stories make people laugh and cry

• [04:40] Why the Homeboy 5K feels bigger than a run

• [06:34] Fr. Greg as Lauren’s spiritual mentor

• [09:43] Why everything in life is about relationship

• [10:35] How Homeboy changed Lauren’s view of gang members

• [13:30] Why Lo Máximo meant more than an Oscar

• [14:01] The meaning of collective effervescence

• [14:52] The hope and joy people feel at Homeboy

• [16:22] The Homeboy story Lauren never forgot

• [17:59] Why one person believing in someone can change a life

• [18:35] Bringing Lauren’s fan communities into Homeboy’s mission

• [27:02] Why Lauren keeps coming back to Homeboy

• [29:15] The current state of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles

• [30:16] How Lauren stays hopeful

• [31:41] Why people need a visceral experience of Fr. Greg’s message

• [33:52] Closing reflections

Notable Quotes

• “I feel so deeply blessed that I get to live in the same time that Fr. Boyle is alive.” — Lauren Tom [06:34]

• “At the end of the day, I feel like everyone just wants to belong. And that’s the beauty of Homeboy.” — Lauren Tom [20:53]

• “I can’t help but fundraise for Homeboy. I feel like it’s not even a choice for me. It’s something I need to do.” — Lauren Tom [27:15]

• “Relationships, just keep building those relationships and not being shy about asking for help with the people you know already love you.” — Lauren Tom [28:07]

Resources and Links

Lauren Tom

• https://laurentom.com/

• https://www.instagram.com/laurentom9000/

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

George Nunez, Head of Security at Homeboy Industries, spent years in and out of prison. He shut out the world, including his own children, because showing weakness behind bars wasn't an option. Daniel Martinez, a Navigator at Homeboy Industries, asked his parole officer to lock him up again rather than feel like a burden to his brother. Both men walked through Homeboy's doors expecting nothing more than a resume or tattoo removal. What they found instead was a place that wouldn't give up on them and wouldn't let them give up on their kids.

In this episode, host Tom Vozzo sits down with George and Daniel to talk about what real fatherhood looks like when you're learning from scratch. They discuss the terror of being vulnerable, the slow work of putting ego aside, and the unexpected mentors, including Father Greg, whom they now call "Dad." Together, they prove that the cycle of abandonment can be broken, one parenting class, one 2:00 a.m. phone call, and one soaked train ride with a baby at a time.

Key Takeaways

• Show up even when you're not ready

  George doubted himself and didn't want to come to Homeboy, but he chose to show up on Monday.

• Healing is an inside job

  George learned in therapy that wanting to change isn't enough,  you have to work on what's inside and let someone help you figure it out.

• It's not about you anymore

  George says you save the next person walking through the door, because someone saved you. This lifestyle requires you to care and feel things you never felt before.

• "You're never in my way"

  George expected to be scolded by Father Greg, but Greg said, "You start Monday." That one invitation changed everything.

• Straddling the fence takes time

  Daniel wanted to be a father, but the lifestyle kept pulling him back. Change didn't happen overnight; it was a battle.

• Prison taught me to shut the world off

  George blocked everyone out to survive. Coming home meant learning a new way to be one where you don't have to hide.

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:25] Meet Daniel Martinez and George Nunez

• [01:05] Daniel finds Homeboy after prison

• [02:35] Discovering support through classes and community

• [04:11] Feeling like a burden to family

• [05:36] George returns to Homeboy in 2013

• [08:09] Therapy, trauma, and looking within

• [10:46] Choosing fatherhood over gang life

• [11:42] Learning how to be a dad

• [16:17] The Challenge Program and accountability inside prison

• [17:44] Trying to be a father while incarcerated

• [19:05] George explains why he shut the world out

• [19:59] Learning fatherhood after prison

• [21:22] Earning back the right to be called Dad

• [21:55] Parenting classes and communication skills

• [22:59] Their children begin to see the change

• [23:58] Father Greg as the father figure they never had

• [25:42] Learning fatherhood with a new baby

• [27:02] Mentoring trainees with patience and compassion

• [28:50] Dreams and hopes for their children

• [31:54] Why Homeboy feels like family

• [33:19] Finding joy through fatherhood and healing

• [36:10] Closing reflections and outro

Notable Quotes

• “I felt the embrace. I felt the love. And I hadn’t even started therapy yet.” — George [00:07:56]

• “It’s not easy to change. It didn’t take days or months for me. It took years.” — Daniel [00:12:49]

• “Being a father now is giving my kids what I never got.” — George [00:23:54]

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 trust again after a lifetime of betrayal? For Karla Leon and Anthony Chairez, both formerly incarcerated and now executive assistants to the Co-CEOs of Homeboy Industries, the answer isn't a pill or a program, it's patience, kinship, and learning how to hug.

Karla came home from federal prison to a three-year-old daughter who didn't know her as "Mom." Anthony served 20 years, from age 15 to 36, and had never provided for himself a single day. Both walked through Homeboy's doors with their guards up, expecting the worst from people who looked just like the ones who hurt them. What they found instead was something they didn't have words for yet: safety.

In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with Karla and Anthony to talk about what healing actually looks like. They discuss the terror of walking into a room full of former gang members, the slow work of lowering your shield, and the surprising discovery that the people who can help you most might be ex-convicts and admitted drug addicts. Together, they prove that transformation doesn't happen fast, and that sometimes, the first step is learning to let someone teach you how to hug.

Key Takeaways

• When the state raises you, you never learn to provide for yourself.

  Anthony spent from 15 to 36 in prison. The state gave him everything. He came home never paying a bill or holding a job. Homeboy taught him how to be an adult.

• Homeboy helps people heal through trust and support.

  Anthony explains that Homeboy’s 18-month model is built around healing trauma, building resilience, and helping people withstand whatever life throws at them.

• Healing starts when people realize they are not alone.

  Through Homeboy’s classes, Anthony discovered that hearing others share their struggles with trauma, violence, and anxiety helped him feel connected instead of isolated.

• Love and patience can rebuild broken relationships.

  Karla shares how Homeboy taught her patience, emotional connection, and even how to hug, lessons that helped her reconnect with her daughter after prison.

• Growth takes patience and honesty.

  Karla explains that real healing began when she stopped rushing the process and finally learned to face herself honestly instead of avoiding the pain she carried inside.

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction

• [01:10] Karla’s journey to Homeboy Industries

• [03:02] Anthony reflects on 20 years in prison

• [05:04] Accepting the opportunity at Homeboy

• [06:12] The Homeboy healing model explained

• [07:05] Finding hope and kinship through classes

• [08:40] Rebuilding a relationship with family after prison

• [11:39] Learning not to take everything personally

• [13:36] Supporting Homeboy’s CEOs behind the scenes

• [17:58] Anthony on addiction and protecting his sanity

• [18:42] Karla on motherhood and joy

• [19:18] Ongoing trauma healing and therapy

• [21:03] Redirecting survival skills toward success

• [26:45] Anthony’s passion for rebuilding cars

• [27:33] Final reflections 

Notable Quotes

• “Had anyone asked me before I came home who I wanted mentoring me, I never would have imagined it would be former gang members and ex-convicts helping me rebuild my life.” — Anthony [08:12]

• “Until you’re comfortable with who’s staring back at you in the mirror, then you can move forward.” — Karla [16:57]

• “One thing I learned in therapy was if you can imagine the worst outcome, you can also imagine the best one.” — Karla [20:38]

• “My sanity brings me joy.” — Anthony [18:39]

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

What does it mean to be loved without needing to earn it? In this episode of The Homeboy Way, host Tom Vozzo sits down with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., founder of Homeboy Industries, for a deeply human conversation about love, humility, recognition, trauma healing, and the kind of kinship that changes lives.

Fr. Greg reflects on his birthday at Homeboy, the mariachis, the joy of being celebrated, and the lesson that love is not just something people give. It is their joy to give it. From Father Greg Boyle Day in Los Angeles to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he opens up about how he holds praise lightly, why he resists the language of “success,” and why the work has never been about ego or legacy.

Tom and Fr. Greg also explore the heart of the Homeboy Industries model: moving beyond fixing, rescuing, and saving, and toward loving connection. Fr. Greg shares why trauma blocks love, why shame is one of the deepest wounds of poverty, and why walking through the doors of Homeboy requires real courage. This is a conversation about widening the circle, letting go of fear, and discovering the true self in loving.

Key Takeaways

• Love is not begrudging. It is joyful

  Fr. Greg explains how the birthday celebrations at Homeboy became a living parable for God’s love: not distant, forced, or half-hearted, but full of joy.

• The goal is not to make a difference.

  Fr. Greg challenges the usual nonprofit mindset, saying we should not go to the margins to make a difference. We should go so the people there make us different.

• Trauma blocks loving connection

  Fr. Greg explains that while loving connection heals trauma, it takes bravery for someone wounded by trauma to take the first step toward that connection.

• Walking into Homeboy is an act of courage.

  For someone whose identity is tied to gang life, shame, or survival, entering a place of love is not obvious. It is a leap.

• Love your neighbor means move forward.

  Fr. Greg contrasts “fear the world” communities with “love your neighbor” communities. One circles the wagons. The other widens the circle.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:47] Why Fr. Greg’s birthday means so much at Homebo

• [03:06] “This is not for you. This is for the people.

• [08:12] Father Greg Boyle Day and the trap of legacy

• [09:03] Why “making a difference” gets the mission wrong

• [11:14] The moment Fr. Greg stopped trying to fix everyone

• [12:21] Why clinging is the source of suffering

• [14:38] True self in loving vs. false self in succeeding

• [15:44] Shame, disgrace, trauma, and loving connection

• [16:42] Why walking into Homeboy takes bravery

• [18:33] Being seen as a symbol, not a saint

• [20:16] What the Presidential Medal of Freedom meant to Homeboy

• [25:42] The deeper meaning of being recognized

• [29:12] Fear the world or love your neighbor

• [30:52] The Homeboy vibe outsiders immediately notice

• [31:37] Moving forward without taking yourself too seriously

Notable Quotes

• “God’s too busy loving you to be disappointed.” — Fr. Greg Boyle [04:04]

• “Authentic Christian living is about moving forward. You just keep moving forward.” — Fr. Greg Boyle [08:25]

• “Clinging is the source of all suffering.” — Fr. Greg Boyle [12:26]

• “Trauma blocks the loving connection… and the loving connection heals the trauma.” — Fr. Greg Boyle [15:53]

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/

Father Greg Boyle

• linkedin.com/in/greg-boyle-s-j-05458514

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

Homeboy Media Production Assistant Cohort: Anthony Salazar and Sebastian Guzman

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 Takeaways

• Safety 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 keeps reliving itself

• [22:00] Trauma and the feeling of paralysis

• [23:53] Desmond Tutu and collective joy

• [27:00] Belonging across different cultures

• [28:08] The limits of traditional therapy

• [29:58] Can people ever fully heal?

• [30:50] Neurofeedback yoga and brain healing

• [32:39] Addiction, psychedelics, and recovery

• [35:19] Spirituality, compassion, and feeling loved

• [38:02] How trauma lives in the body

• [39:09] Final reflections 

Notable Quotes

• “People were open-hearted to each other as if they were accustomed to feeling safe with each other.” — Bessel  [03:18] 

• “In our field, we rarely talk about how the feeling of belonging is a critical human need.” – Bessel [04:42]

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/

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

• https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/

• Book

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 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 Takeaways

• Healing 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 – Introduction

• 00:29 – Why this episode focuses on mental health healing

• 02:04 – Father Greg on how healing really happens

• 03:37 – ACE scores and childhood trauma exposure

• 05:59 – Why healing is bigger than talk therapy

• 09:44 – Community healing and the “dosing” effect of love

• 12:11 – Dr. Frank Anderson joins the conversation

• 14:56 – Defining trauma and PTSD in simple terms

• 16:50 – Understanding complex trauma and family dysfunction

• 21:18 – Seeing people as good instead of broken

• 22:52 – Looking beneath destructive behavior

• 24:35 – The three steps required for healing trauma

• 29:14 – Whole person healing at Homeboy

• 32:11 – Why healing starts outside the therapy room

• 41:51 – Staying hopeful while walking with people in pain

Notable Quotes

• "Listen, listen, love, love." — Fr. Greg [07:18]

• "Trauma blocks love and connection, and love and connection heals trauma." — Dr. Frank Anderson [28:13]

• "People are not what happened to them, and they are not the worst thing they've ever done." — Shirley Torres  [31:00]

• "It was the first time I danced sober." — Homeboy trainee, as shared by Fajima Bedran [37:57]

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/

Fr. Greg Boyle

• linkedin.com/in/greg-boyle-s-j-05458514

Dr. Frank Anderson

• https://www.frankandersonmd.com/

Shirley Torres 

• linkedin.com/in/shirley-torres-1a9516a2

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