Father Gregory J. Boyle, S.J., a Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries, an insitute to help individuals (but especially homeboys) re-enter society in a positive way, spoke in a crowded Sierra Center room Wednesday about the experience of a “cholo” and their persistence to better themselves.

“There is no us or them, there is just us,” Boyle said. The audience became intrigued and silence when he spoke about a homeboy named “Chico.” He wanted to learn everything about computers and Father Gregory found a job that allowed him to pursue this, but Chico later died of a bullet wound in a drive-by.

What started as a at-risk and gang-involvement youth center in 1988 has now flourished into an industry that assists more than 1,000 people a month by allowing homeboys the opportunity to excel in a job or career.

With Boyle’s direction, Homeboy Industries will continue to grow as a business even further than just making “tortillas” or homegirl clothing.