A native of Los Angeles and a Jesuit priest, Father Greg Boyle served as pastor of Dolores Mission Church in the poorest Catholic parish in Los Angeles during the so-called “decade of death” of gang violence that began in the late 1980s and peaked at 1,000 gang-related killings in 1992. Father Boyle, the parish, and community members adopted a radical approach to the crisis that emphasized the humanity of gang members. Their efforts led to the founding of Homeboy Industries.
Father Boyle is the author of numerous books, including the 2010 New York Times-bestseller Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion and the 2017 Los Angeles Times-bestseller Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship. In 2014, the White House honored him as a Champion of Change, and in 2017, the University of Notre Dame bestowed upon him the Laetare Medal, the oldest honor given to American Catholics. Father Boyle has also served as a member of the Governor of California’s Economic and Job Recovery Task Force and the National Gang Center Advisory Board.
Father Boyle will be accompanied by two former gang members whose lives were transformed by Father Boyle and Homeboy Industries.
In lieu of a speaker’s fee, Father Boyle gratefully accepts any and all contributions to Homeboy Industries. Learn more about this not-for-profit organization and make your own generous donation at https://homeboyindustries.org/donate/donate-online/ or scan the QR code. All proceeds from public appearances and books sales benefit Homeboy Industries.