October 15, 2025 - Wednesday - Today we were in Los Angeles, just north of Union Station, for an interesting adventure. Our destination was the Homeboy Industries facility. Homeboy Industries is a youth program founded in 1992 by Father Greg Boyle following the work of the Christian base communities at Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. The program is intended to assist high-risk youth, former gang members and the recently incarcerated with a variety of free programs, such as mental health counseling, legal services, tattoo removal, curriculum and education classes, work-readiness training, and employment services.
We couldn't believe how crowded it was here. Our guide, Adonai, told us there were about 500 volunteers here daily and about 250 paid staff members. On top of that there were hundreds of people coming in for free services. Adonai was a very nice man, although he didn't start out that way. At 17 years old he was convicted and incarcerated for 30 years, he was just released 18 months ago.
In the central lobby is Father Boyle's Presidential Medal of Freedom given by Joe Biden.
When people apply for positions here, their first stop is this office where the drug testing is performed.
This is the area for the professional legal and psychiatric personnel on staff.
These people are waiting for counseling, anger management courses and related behavioral classes.
This is the second floor view of the bakery. The windows are probably coated with flour dust.
All of the services here are free, you can just walk in from the street. This is where tattoo removals are done.
This wing deals with employment placement and rent assistance. When Adonai was released, he found an apartment for $1,500 a month. Homeboy Industries provided $1,400 each month in assistance to him.
Adonai kept repeating the word "miracle," for the transformation Homeboy provides to thousands of individuals. It's quite a story.
We stayed right on the premises for lunch at the Homegirl Cafe. We were pleasantly surprised.
Judy had their "Churro French Toast" and it was delicious.
I was a little more adventurous and had their "Chilaquiles" with eggs and black beans and with fresh tortilla chips, Verde tomatillo salsa, topped with Crema fresca, queso cotija, onions and cilantro.
And their sweets at the bakery looked delicious.
