Father Greg Boyle is a Jesuit priest and the founder of Homeboy Industries,
a non-profit organization in Los Angeles that provides job training, employment, and support services
to formerly incarcerated individuals and gang members.
He is widely recognized for his work in promoting peace and reconciliation within communities affected by gang violence.
Father Greg Boyle is a remarkable individual who has dedicated his life to serving the most vulnerable communities
and creating a more just and compassionate world.
He stands as an example of the transformative power of love, empathy, and the unwavering belief in the inherent goodness of all people.
Early Life and Calling
Born in Los Angeles in 1951, Boyle attended Loyola Marymount University and later studied theology at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California.
He was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1984 and began working in the Dolores Mission in Boyle Heights, a predominantly Latino neighborhood in East Los Angeles.
Homeboy Industries and its Impact
Greg Boyle set out on a mission to Serve the Marginalized.
He became deeply involved in the lives of the community, particularly those affected by gang violence and poverty.
Boyle established the Homeboy Industries program in 1988, inspired by the belief that everyone deserves a second chance.
Homeboy Industries has grown into a multifaceted organization offering job training in various fields like baking, tattoo removal, landscaping, and more.
It provides employment placement, counseling, case management, and life skills training,
aiming to help individuals rebuild their lives and become contributing members of society.
The organization has significantly impacted the lives of countless individuals,
helping them avoid recidivism, break the cycle of violence, and find purpose and fulfillment.
Non-profit organization based in Los Angeles, California,
that provides training and employment opportunities to formerly incarcerated individuals and gang members,
empowering them to transform their lives and become valuable contributors to society.
Recognition and Legacy
Boyle has received numerous awards and accolades for his work.
He is the author of several books,
including "Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion"
and "Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship,"
which have become influential in promoting social justice and understanding.
Philosophy and Beliefs
Boyle's work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves compassion and dignity, regardless of their background or past mistakes.
He emphasizes the power of radical kinship, recognizing the inherent worth of every human being.
Boyle's work and writings have inspired countless individuals and organizations to address social injustices and create opportunities for the marginalized.
He has become a leading voice in promoting peace, understanding, and reconciliation within communities affected by violence and poverty.
Father Gregory Boyle, founder and executive director of Homeboy Industries, is an acknowledged expert on gangs, intervention and re-entry and today serves on the U.S. Attorney General's Defending Childhood Task Force.
Born in Los Angeles, one of eight children, Fr. Greg worked in the family-owned dairy, loading milk trucks to earn his high school tuition. An enduring memory of that youthful time is when "...these weathered old truckers would come up to me, put their arms around me and point at my father in the distance, on the loading dock, and say, 'Your dad is a great man.'" Lessons from that first job apply at Homeboy Industries today where employees come to change for themselves and their children.
Homeboy Industries traces its roots to "Jobs For A Future" (JFF), created in 1988 by Boyle at Dolores Mission. To address the escalating problems of gang-involved youth, he and the community developed an elementary school, day care program and sought legitimate employment for young people.
Boyle serves on the National Gang Center Advisory Board (Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). He is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Loyola Law School Center for Juvenile Law and Policy and previously served on the California Commission on Juvenile Justice, Crime and Delinquency Prevention. The National Child Labor Committee recognized Fr. Greg with the first Nancy M. Daly Advocacy Award for Service to Children and Youth on January 30, 2012.
Homeboy Industries, now located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, is recognized as a national and international model for youth seeking to move beyond gangs and achieve a life of hope.
Gregory Joseph Boyle, S.J. (born May 19, 1954) is an American Catholic priest of the Jesuit order.
He is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries,
the world's largest gang intervention and rehabilitation program,
and former pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles.