Thomas Vozzo, the CEO of Homeboy Industries, said stopping and preventing gang violence and criminals is about "love, kinship, compassion" and meeting people where they are at.
"Homeboy knows how to help get people out of gang life," Vozzo told Vernā Myers on a recent episode of the Sundays with Vernā podcast.
"What's homeboy secret sauce? It's so straightforward, it's love, kinship, compassion. We're not going to judge somebody if they have tattoos on their face, we're gonna not judge them by their past, we're just going to care for them and lean in and trust them. And that makes a difference and that allows people to move their life forward."
Homeboy Industries was founded by Father Gregory Boyle to address the growing gang crime and street violence in the Los Angeles area. It is the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world, having opened locations all over the U.S. and in several nations across the world in its 30 years of operation.
A July 11 article published by RollingOut.com detailed reasons young children might join gangs, including the search for belonging, peer pressure, and economic incentives. The article informed parents on signs of gang involvement, which can include behavioral changes, appearance alterations, and possession of unexplained money or goods. Additionally, it suggests seeking professional help if needed and involving the community to create a supportive environment. Parents can play a crucial role in preventing gang involvement by staying informed and engaged in their children's lives, according to the article.
Damien Patton got involved with a white supremacist group as a young man growing up in Torrance, California. Raised in a dysfunctional household, Patton struggled with his identity and sought belonging, eventually joining skinheads and participating in a synagogue shooting, hiding the fact that he was Jewish himself from his peers.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, the premiere anti-hate group in the US, detailed Patton's journey of leaving the group and testifying against his accomplices in the shooting before joining the Navy. He later became a successful entrepreneur. However, decades later, his history was exposed, prompting his resignation from Banjo, the tech company he built from the ground up. Greenblatt shares details of his friendship with Patton in a February 4, 2022 Time Magazine article.