Homeboy Industries is the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. Their 18-month job training program for gang-involved and previously incarcerated people focuses on healing and developing work readiness skills.
Trainees work in one of Homeboy’s social enterprises or at an internship, including Homeboy Bakery. Trainees receive on-the-job training and supportive services like case management, mental health and substance abuse counseling, and tattoo removal.
Over 2,700 community members across Los Angeles are helped by Homeboy each year, including over 400 graduates from the job training program and more than 150 job placements.
Meet Norma
Norma was at a point where she wanted to give up because she felt stuck. She had nothing on her resume. Whenever she interviewed for jobs, she would get denied because they found out she had a record and felonies. That’s when someone told her to come to Homeboy.Donna, the Director of Legal Services at Homeboy, helped bring down her felonies to misdemeanors and expunge her record. Norma has a lot of experience on her resume now and has been sober for 6 years. She doesn’t feel stuck anymore, and she feels like she can move forward. She feels a lot of peace and hope because she knows that no matter what she is going through, she doesn’t have to be alone.
