Tom Vozzo came to Homeboy Industries in a moment when they needed his skills. Around 2012, the organization was facing a financial crunch, and Tom stepped up from Homeboy volunteer to CEO steering the company to financial stability.

Working at Homeboy changed Tom as well. Writing in his book, ‘The Homeboy Way,’ Tom said that after years of working with the poor, forgotten, and demonized people of our society, he came to learn that he didn’t really know as much about life as he thought. Tom and the rest of the Homeboy team continue to support formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated people, helping them redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community. 

In doing so, they make a bold and critical statement: No life is disposable, no person is beneath society, no person cannot be better, and no person will not benefit from helping another person reach the potential of who they can be.

Today's episode was produced by Tani Levitt and Mijon Zulu. To check out more episodes or to learn more about the show, you can visit our website Allaboutchangepodcast.com. If you like our show, spread the word, tell a friend or family member, or leave us a review on your favorite podcasting app. We really appreciate it. All About Change is produced by the Ruderman Family Foundation.

Episode Chapters

0:00 Intro

2:31 The role of healing in the Homeboy Way

3:57 How people first choose to leave gang life

7:38 How has Homeboy Industries changed Tom?

14:47 Expanding the Homeboy influence across the globe

16:20 Pushing back on stigma against formerly gang-involved folks

19:33 Tom makes the case for why minimizing recidivism needs to be a bipartisan cause

22:32 Activism in and out of the workplace

24:14 Tom’s book: The Homeboy Way

28:38 Outro and Goodbye

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Jay’s brand new book, Find Your Fight, in which Jay teaches the next generation of activists and advocates how to step up and bring about lasting change. You can find Find Your Fight wherever you buy your books, and you can learn more about it at ⁠⁠https://www.walmart.com/ip/Find-Your-Fight-Make-Your-Voice-Heard-for-the-Causes-That-Matter-Most-Hardcover-9781963827071/10817862336