Hi, I'm Cheryl. I started working at Homeboy Industries at the beginning of this year. Like many people, I was moved by Father Greg's book, Tattoos on the Heart: I believed in his message of unconditional love and breaking down barriers between "us" and "them." My not-so-secret agenda was to heal myself--to work in an environment where I was allowed and encouraged to be fully human every day.
That has happened in so many ways: teaching the weekly creative writing class, talking to a trainee who recently lost her mom about what it's like to lose a mom, mooching free therapy from the staff therapists.... Seeing two big, tough-looking former gang members exclaim "I love you, dog!" and hug each other mightily and sincerely is one of the most beautiful sights I've witnessed. It reminds me that change is possible for all of us, no matter how broken and mean we feel.
One of the main ways I support Homeboy is eating bread, cupcakes and rum balls from the bakery. So I'm excited that the 5K will give me a chance burn off some of it. Thank you so much for standing with Homeboy!
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