From Lockup to Living a Life of Purpose with Karla Leon and Anthony Chairez

From Lockup to Living a Life of Purpose with Karla Leon and Anthony Chairez

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://homeboyindustries.org/] * https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos] * Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/] Homeboy Media  * https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/] Thomas Vozzo * https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo [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 [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

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 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://homeboyindustries.org/] * https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos] * Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/] Homeboy Media  * https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/] Father Greg Boyle * linkedin.com/in/greg-boyle-s-j-05458514 [http://linkedin.com/in/greg-boyle-s-j-05458514] Thomas Vozzo * https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo [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 [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

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 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://homeboyindustries.org/] * https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos] * Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/] Homeboy Media  * https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/] Dr. Bessel van der Kolk * https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/ [https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/] * Book [https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748] Thomas Vozzo * https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo [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 [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 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 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://homeboyindustries.org/] * https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos] * Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/] Homeboy Media  * https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/] Fr. Greg Boyle * linkedin.com/in/greg-boyle-s-j-05458514 [http://linkedin.com/in/greg-boyle-s-j-05458514] Dr. Frank Anderson * https://www.frankandersonmd.com/ [https://www.frankandersonmd.com/] Shirley Torres  * linkedin.com/in/shirley-torres-1a9516a2 [http://linkedin.com/in/shirley-torres-1a9516a2] Thomas Vozzo * https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo [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 [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

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 Takeaways * You don’t need a quiet mind to practice mindfulness Mindfulness 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 see At 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 experience Even 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 healing Volunteering 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 relationship Homeboy 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 many The 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 – Introduction * 01:08 – How Bill first learned about Homeboy * 04:29 – The Miracle of Mindfulness class * 07:00 – Why mindfulness matters in daily life * 10:02 – Personal mindfulness practice * 13:14 – Teaching mindfulness at Homeboy * 16:51 – Tools for managing stress and anxiety * 19:23 – Why mindfulness works * 23:05 – What it means to be a volunteer * 28:53 – Philosophy of giving and philanthropy * 34:07 – Being part of the Homeboy community * 36:39 – Bill’s personal journey and second chances * 40:22 – Closing reflections Notable 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 Links Homeboy Industries * https://homeboyindustries.org/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/] * https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@HomeboyIndustries_LA/videos] * Donate: https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/] Homeboy Media  * https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/ [https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/homeboy-media/] Dr. Bill Resnick * https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-resnick-03a5135/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-resnick-03a5135/] Thomas Vozzo * https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvozzo [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 [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