Rev.
Greg Boyle |
'Creating
a Community of Kinship
Such That God Would
Recognize It'
A
nationally-recognized
speaker, Rev. Greg
Boyle has worked
tirelessly to provide
love and support for
kids whose homes are so
emotionally
impoverished or
destructive that they
join gangs in search of
a surrogate family.
He
believes that community
involvement is
essential to bring
about change, and he
emphasizes the
importance of not
giving up hope.
Father
Boyle will share his
stories about his work
and the young people he
works with.
There
will also be a question
and answer period after
his talk.
About
Rev. Greg Boyle
Rev.
Gregory J. Boyle, S.J.,
is a Jesuit priest who
is founder and
executive director of
Jobs for a
Future/Homeboy
Industries, an
employment referral
center and economic
development program.
Begun in 1988 for
at-risk and
gang-involved youth,
Jobs for a Future is
today a
nationally-recognized
center that assists
1,000 people a month in
redirecting their
lives. Through its
unique and
multi-service approach,
Jobs for a Future
offers hope to those
for whom hope is often
foreign.
Located
in Boyle Heights, a
community with arguably
the highest
concentration of gang
activity in Los
Angeles, Jobs for a
Future provides
employment
opportunities,
counseling and many
other services
(including free tattoo
removal). By seeking to
address the root causes
of gang violence, Jobs
for a Future creates
opportunities so that
at-risk youth can plan
their futures and not
their funerals.
"Nothing
stops a bullet like a
job" is the
guiding principle.
In
1992, as a response to
the civil unrest in Los
Angeles, Father Boyle
formed Homeboy
Industries to create
businesses that provide
training, work
experience and, above
all, the opportunity
for rival gang members
to work side by side.
The following economic
development enterprises
have been created since
the first venture:
Homeboy Bakery; Homeboy
Silkscreen;
Homeboy/Homegirl
Merchandise; Homeboy
Graffiti Removal;
Homeboy Maintenance;
and Homeboy
Landscaping.
Father
Boyle was born in Los
Angeles. He received
his bachelor of arts
degree in English from
Gonzaga University, a
master of arts degree
in English from Loyola
Marymount University, a
master of divinity
degree from the Weston
School of
Theology, and a
master of sacred
theology degree from
the Jesuit School of
Theology.
Before
becoming Pastor of
Dolores Mission
(1986-1992), Father
Boyle taught at Loyola
High School and worked
with Christian Base
Communities in
Cochabamba, Bolivia.
He has also
served as chaplain of
the Islas Marias Penal
colony in Mexico and
Folsom Prison.
He
is currently a member
of the State Commission
on Juvenile Justice,
Crime and Delinquency
Prevention, and serves
on the National Youth
Gang Center Advisory
Board.
As
executive director of
Jobs for a
Future/Homeboy
Industries, Father
Boyle is a nationally
renowned speaker at
conferences for
teachers, social
workers and criminal
justice workers about
the importance of adult
attention, guidance and
unconditional love in
preventing youth from
joining gangs.
