With support from the California Arts Council, Homeboy Industries will expand our therapeutic Art Heals program. A 10-month weekly Open Studio will be available to the Homeboy community, widening the circle of engagement with trauma-informed art making that focuses on the strengths of formerly incarcerated and/or gang-involved youth and adults. Art Heals will also include workshops, family events and an exhibited collaborative art piece (NAVIGATORS) that spotlights our peer mentor program.
All of Homeboy’s programs are delivered within a model of wraparound trauma-informed services designed to ensure that participants feel safe and welcomed and have the necessary resources to inhabit their authentic selves and become whole. Our specially designed programs and services help individuals heal from trauma, reduce recidivism, facilitate family reunification, remove barriers to employment and the other collateral consequences that come from being formerly incarcerated with a felony record. These include case management, peer navigation/mentoring, mental health and substance abuse treatment, academic and life skills education, youth programming, tattoo removal, legal services, and arts programming. We build skillsets and employment readiness by having participants work in our social enterprise businesses and participate in workforce development programming. This model is recognized as a success by leaders in research, government, and law enforcement.

