Healing Through Art and Community: Finding Purpose at Homeboy Industries with Gabby Hidalgo, Alejandro Zapata, and Dre Comers

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 TakeawaysConsistency 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 lifeNotable Quotes“You could meet new people, new opportunities. You just never know what&#39;s in store for you.” Alejandro [11:23]“I&#39;m grateful to be here. I&#39;m grateful with the kids. I&#39;m grateful for the opportunity, like being able to share my life story because I don&#39;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&#39;re gonna start making money from.” - Dre [23:46]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/thomasvozzoThe Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Rad