Pushed Out, Not Dropped Out: The Truth About Youth, Gangs, and Second Chances with Maria Flores and Gabriel Lopez

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

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 Takeaways * Healing 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 – Introduction * 01:20 – Dyamond’s journey to Homeboy * 02:45 – Choosing healing over familiar pain * 04:20 – Angel’s role as a navigator * 06:45 – Angel’s turning point after incarceration * 08:49 – Vianka’s path through trauma and healing * 15:06 – Lessons for their younger selves * 23:09 – Homeboy as a place of sanctuary * 24:55 – Being a woman at Homeboy * 29:21 – Women who inspire them * 40:42 – What gives them hope today * 44:14 – The meaning behind the gala moment Notable 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 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/] Vianka Villagomez * https://www.facebook.com/vianka827/ [https://www.facebook.com/vianka827/] Dyamond Watts * https://www.instagram.com/therealqueenofcompton/ [https://www.instagram.com/therealqueenofcompton/] 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

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 Takeaways * Society failed her,  Homeboy showed up A 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 here The 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 point Though 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 alone Behaviors 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 – Introduction * 00:30 – Why Homeboy focuses on youth * 02:49 – Living in trauma, not beyond it * 06:47 – Girls, foster care, and hidden struggles * 08:44 – Why no one is ever kicked out * 09:30 – The reason Homeboy built a school * 10:40 – The “chaser” model and wraparound support * 15:27 – Understanding a young man’s mindset * 16:30 – Gabriel’s story: joining a gang early * 19:02 – What changed the direction of his life * 21:12 – Fatherhood and a new sense of purpose * 23:26 – Building trust and creating safe spaces * 26:42 – Summer programs and moments of joy * 28:48 – Lessons in trust and letting go * 33:50 – Working with parents and reunification * 36:02 – Breaking cycles of conflict and violence * 41:26 – Gabriel’s journey as a father Notable 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 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