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The Homeboy Way: Daily Summaries Delivered
by The Homeboy Way
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.
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- 2 days ago31 min
Keep Moving Forward: Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. on How to Let Go of Your Ego
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 TakeawaysLove is not begrudging. It is joyfulFr. 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 connectionFr. 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 seriouslyNotable 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 LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/Homeboy Media https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/Father Greg Boylelinkedin.com/in/greg-boyle-s-j-05458514Thomas Vozzohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzoThe Homeboy Way: A Radical Approa
- 1 weeks ago39 min
Bodies Don’t Lie: Dr. Bessel van der Kolk on Trauma Recovery and the Power of Homeboy Industries
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 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 LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/Homeboy Media https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/Dr. Bessel van der Kolkhttps://www.besselvanderkolk.com/BookThomas Vozzohttps://www.linkedin
- 2 weeks ago45 min
What Actually Heals People? Inside Homeboy’s Trauma-Informed Approach with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., Shirley Torres, Fajima Bedran, and Dr. Frank Anderson
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 trauma and family dysfunction21:18 – Seeing people as good instead of broken22:52 – Looking beneath destructive behavior24:35 – The three steps required for healing trauma29:14 – Whole person healing at Homeboy32:11 – Why healing starts outside the therapy room41:51 – Staying hopeful while walking with people in painNotable 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 LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/Homeboy Media https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/Fr. Greg Boylelinkedin.com/in/greg-boyle-s-j-05458514Dr. Frank Andersonhttps://www.frankandersonmd.com/Shirley Torre
- 3 weeks ago40 min
Dr. Bill Resnick on Mindfulness, Healing and Showing up at Homeboy Industries
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 philanthropy34:07 – Being part of the Homeboy community36:39 – Bill’s personal journey and second chances40:22 – Closing reflectionsNotable Quotes“Healing happens best in community, not just individually.” — Dr. Bill [02:32]“I can't meditate because my mind's too busy. I can't shut off my thoughts. If that were the requirement, nobody would be able to meditate.” — Dr. Bill [11:11]“ We give multiple chances to people” — Tom [36:29]Resources and LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/Homeboy Media https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/Dr. Bill Resnickhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-resnick-03a5135/Thomas Vozzohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzoThe Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456XCredits:Hosted by: Tom VozzoProduced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media
- May 6, 202645 min
She Had "Forever Broken" Tattooed on Her Chest. Homeboy Changed That with Angel Rodriguez, Dyamond Watts, and Vianka Villagomez
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 healing15:06 – Lessons for their younger selves23:09 – Homeboy as a place of sanctuary24:55 – Being a woman at Homeboy29:21 – Women who inspire them40:42 – What gives them hope today44:14 – The meaning behind the gala momentNotable Quotes" I just couldn't believe that you're paying me to do something that I need to do. It was a win-win." – Dyamond [02:33]"I stood there and it was raining and I was torn because I wanted to go with the comfortable pain that I was used to." – Dyamond [03:32]"Hope has an address. It's 130 West Bruno Street." – Angel [41:30]Resources and LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/Homeboy Media https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/Vianka Villagomezhttps://www.facebook.com/vianka827/Dyamond Wattshttps://www.instagram.com/therealqueenofcompton/Thomas Vozzohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/th
- Apr 29, 202645 min
Pushed Out, Not Dropped Out: The Truth About Youth, Gangs, and Second Chances with Maria Flores and Gabriel Lopez
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 out09:30 – The reason Homeboy built a school10:40 – The “chaser” model and wraparound support15:27 – Understanding a young man’s mindset16:30 – Gabriel’s story: joining a gang early19:02 – What changed the direction of his life21:12 – Fatherhood and a new sense of purpose23:26 – Building trust and creating safe spaces26:42 – Summer programs and moments of joy28:48 – Lessons in trust and letting go33:50 – Working with parents and reunification36:02 – Breaking cycles of conflict and violence41:26 – Gabriel’s journey as a fatherNotable Quotes“No one stops to look at what our kids are holding in their heart.” – Gabriel [03:58]“There is no such thing as ‘that’s it, you’re done.” – Maria [09:01]“They’re just little boys that want to be loved, bro.” – Gabriel [16:16]“ There's never a hopeful kid that joins a gang.” – Maria [17:25]Resources and LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/Homeboy Media https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/Thomas Vozzohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo</a
- Apr 22, 202640 min
The Power of Unrestricted Giving: How Melanie Lundquist Has Supported Homeboy for Over a Decade
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 philanthropy save democracy?37:00 – The power of kindness and empathy38:03 – The redwood metaphorNotable Quotes“ If we had enough cherishing, there would be no need for Homeboy - Melanie [02:19]“Philanthropy is the rent we pay for the air we breathe.” - Melanie [03:43]“Philanthropy is the meaning of life and what gives our life meaning.” - Melanie [06:00]“What does it cost people to be kind? It costs nothing.” - Melanie [37:00]Resources and LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/Homeboy Media https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/Melanie Lundquisthttps://www.givingpledge.org/Thomas Vozzohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzoThe Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/08294545
- Apr 15, 202626 min
From Rehab to Head Barista: Jose Leon’s Homeboy Transformation
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.11:06 – Healing family relationships without expectations13:33 – Talking to his daughters and focusing on the next generation14:17 – What Jose tells customers at the coffee counter15:17 – Daily mindset reminders17:10 – Part 2: Inside the Homegirl Cafe17:28 – Starting as a dishwasher in the back18:35 – Becoming a barista by accident19:21 – Overcoming insecurity about facial scars20:38 – Why the coffee counter removes barriers22:20 – When a mother shared her son’s death24:06 – Helping people straight out of jail with a free mealNotable Quotes“ If I wanted something different in life, I had to do something different.” — Jose [03:35]“I wanted to be the person my daughters needed me to be” — Jose [02:47]“I had to unlearn everything.” — Jose [09:07]Resources and LinksHomeboy Industrieshttps://homeboyindustries.org/https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videosDonate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/Homeboy Media https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/Jose Leonlinkedin.com/in/jleon77Thomas Vozzohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo</
About The Homeboy Way
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.
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