The Homeboy Industry Approach
By Leroy Tamfu, Research Assistant (Summer 2026)
On June 11, 2026, the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy hosted the Global Homeboy Network DC Summit, an event the Evidence for Justice Lab was proud to support. The summit brought together Father Gregory Boyle, the Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries; Frank McCourt, philanthropist and founder of McCourt Global; and members of the Global Homeboy Network, who traveled from its founding headquarters in Los Angeles. Modeled after Homeboy Industries, the Global Homeboy Network is an international coalition dedicated to fostering welcoming and supportive communities for people who are marginalized and justice impacted through a model of “radial kinship”.
The summit opened with remarks from Dr. Andrea Headley, Faculty Director of the Evidence for Justice Lab at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, who emphasized that public policy is a living expression of our institutions’ core values. She highlighted the Lab’s approach to evidence-based research, which integrates both quantitative and qualitative methods to develop a more complete understanding of complex policy challenges. By expanding what counts as evidence and centering perspectives that have too often been overlooked, the Lab is helping to make both the research process and policymaking more inclusive, equitable, and impactful.
The day featured a number of panels in which Homeboy Industries staff shared their own journeys through the organization’s philosophy of “meeting people where they are.” They reflected on how the organization has helped thousands of people rebuild their lives, whether through reentry services such as tattoo removal and substance-abuse treatment or through a 10-month employment program intentionally designed for gang intervention and rehabilitation in a city long shaped by suppression, mass incarceration, and persistent gang violence. A second panel, featuring longtime staff and program leaders, spoke to the importance of lived experience in fostering a truly inclusive environment. Stories emerged of former rival gang members working side by side in the kitchen and of individuals who had turned their lives around to become mentors for the next generation of newcomers. Together, these stories embodied what Father Boyle describes as “a circle of compassion with no one standing outside of it.”
The summit closed a conversation between Father Boyle and Frank McCourt on the efficacy of philanthropy and what keeps Father Boyle committed to a mission with no finish line. His secret, he explained, is simple: “If I go somewhere to make a difference, then it is about me. But if I go and allow myself to be changed, then it’s about us.” This philosophy of reaching others while allowing them to reach you, aligns deeply with the community-centered approach to conducting research at the Evidence for Justice Lab.
This transformative summit at Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy exemplifies how community partnership and practical innovation can come together to advance efforts to reduce recidivism and address inequities in the American criminal justice system.
Photo Credits: Associated Press
