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What lies beneath the surface of the Skindeep Project?

9 min read

Better Society
Source: Facebook/HomeboyIndustries

The story of the former gang members who got to see themselves without their tattoos, and the Jesuit priest who has dedicated his life to their rehabilitation.

What lies beneath the surface of the Skindeep Project?

Photographer Steven Burton met all his subjects through Homeboy Industries. Homeboy Industries is the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. For over 30 years, Homeboy Industries has stood as a beacon of hope in Los Angeles to provide training and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women, allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of the community.

“I guess I’ve become like this, you know? I could imagine if I didn’t I would look like this. Totally different story! That’s a lot of years, that’s a lot of work dude. That took a lot of work. The tattoos mean a life with the gentlemen, my homies you know? Brings a lot of death, sadness, hate, and destruction...sick. Just out of control, eh?”
MARCOS LUNA: “I guess I’ve become like this, you know? I could imagine if I didn’t I would look like this. Totally different story! That’s a lot of years, that’s a lot of work dude. That took a lot of work. The tattoos mean a life with the gentlemen, my homies you know? Brings a lot of death, sadness, hate, and destruction…sick. Just out of control, eh?” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography

Skin Deep, Looking beyond the tattoos

Skin Deep, Looking beyond the tattoos is a portrait series by photographer Steven Burton that seeks to understand the impacts tattoos have on former gang members and people trying to escape the gang life. How we as a society judge ex-gang members with tattoos and ultimately how they judge themselves.

Portraits are taken of the participants. Their tattoos are then digitally removed creating before and after images. The subjects are then interviewed on video while being presented the portraits. 

Steven hopes this project helps put a very human face on a group of people that are so often demonised by society. By giving them a forum to talk about themselves, families, aspirations for the future and what tattoos mean to them, while the public is educated about the obstacles these individuals must overcome to re-enter society. To purchase the book please go to ‘Skin Deep, Looking Beyond the Tartoos’, on Amazon, published by Powerhouse books.

Source: StevenBurtonPhotography

“I don’t know where I went wrong? Everyone in my family is average. It’s like you know how they say, the only rotten apple. I’m like the only rotten apple. My dad was not involved in gangs but he was with the cartels, the Mexican cartels. So he sold drugs, he did coke. But when he was around he was like the best dad. He would buy us whatever we wanted, would never hit us. But he was always in jail, always in jail.”
DENNIS ZAMORAN: “I don’t know where I went wrong? Everyone in my family is average. It’s like you know how they say, the only rotten apple. I’m like the only rotten apple. My dad was not involved in gangs but he was with the cartels, the Mexican cartels. So he sold drugs, he did coke. But when he was around he was like the best dad. He would buy us whatever we wanted, would never hit us. But he was always in jail, always in jail.” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography

What is HomeboyIndustries?

What began in 1988 as a way of improving the lives of former gang members in East Los Angeles has today become a blueprint for over 250 organisations and social enterprises around the world, from Alabama and Idaho, to Guatemala and Scotland. The Global Homeboy Network is a group of like-minded organisations committed to impacting the lives of those in their communities.

Each year Homeboy Industries welcome thousands of people through its doors seeking to transform their lives. Whether joining their 18-month employment and re-entry program or seeking discrete services such as tattoo removal or substance abuse resources, clients are embraced by a community of kinship and offered a variety of free wraparound services to facilitate healing and growth. In addition to serving almost 7,000 members of the immediate Los Angeles community in 2018, their flagship 18-month employment and re-entry program was offered to over 400 men and women.

In 1986, when Homeboy Industries’ founder, Gregory Boyle became pastor of Dolores Mission Church, it was the poorest Catholic parish in Los Angeles. The parish included Aliso Village and Pico Gardens, then the largest public housing projects west of the Mississippi. They also had the highest concentration of gang activity. That was saying something, given Los Angeles’ reputation as the gang capital of the world.

At the time, law enforcement tactics of suppression and criminal justice policies of mass incarceration were the prevailing means to deal with gang violence. But where others only saw criminals, Father Greg saw people in need of help. Today, Homeboy Industries is the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world, welcoming thousands through its doors each year.

Source: HomeboyIndustries

“When I was little my dad was a crackhead. He did not have money for the dope so my mother would pay for it with her body; my dad would prostitute my mom to get his drugs. My dad was not the coolest guy to be around. He used to kick us out in the middle of the night; we would sleep outside. I was six at the time, my little brother was four, and my eldest brother was seven.”
FRANCISCO FLORES: “When I was little my dad was a crackhead. He did not have money for the dope so my mother would pay for it with her body; my dad would prostitute my mom to get his drugs. My dad was not the coolest guy to be around. He used to kick us out in the middle of the night; we would sleep outside. I was six at the time, my little brother was four, and my eldest brother was seven.” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography

Homeboy is often called on to serve as “parent”

Homeboy provides job training positions and free social services for formerly gang involved and previously incarcerated men and women. Each client is assigned a Case Manager on day one who helps them set a goal plan that may include: obtaining a high school diploma or GED, a course of action for release from parole or probation, and a general game plan for needed services, classes, and skills in order to find outside employment.

Many of the Homeboys and Homegirls arrive into young adulthood with no support system and absent families. When these young men and women teeter in their stability, Homeboy is often called on to serve as “parent.”

On the website, it explains: 

‘What we want to provide our clients at Homeboy is a supportive community, a sense of family and a place where they come to help find their strengths, learn job skills, get an education, learn new life skills, and become contributing members to their families and communities.

Life at Homeboy begins for our trainees with work in the maintenance department. During the course of their time at Homeboy, trainees move from maintenance to a vocational skill-building position in one of our six social enterprises, or an administrative position in our program headquarters.

Daily activities for the “homies” (our trainees) might include attending a class such as Computer Basics, Bridge to College, Building Healthy Relationships, Anger Management, or Parenting, and perhaps having a one-on-one appointment with a mental health counselor and a tattoo removal session.

Daily life starts each morning at Homeboy with morning meeting, where every staff member joins to hear the agenda for the day, share successes, and preview upcoming events. This meeting is closed with the “thought of the day,” a small piece of wisdom or inspiration from one of our trainees or staff to help us keep on track for the day.’

Source: HomeboyIndustries 

“I joined the gangs when I was a kid. I got in at 11 years old and then like two months later I got into my neighborhood (gang) I went to juvenile hall. I was only supposed to do six months, but the things that I did in there...pretty much, well, you can say I committed another crime in there. It made my stay go from six months to about seven years. They kept me there till I was 18 years old. I did all those years straight, and then I got out at 18 and lasted out here for four years. I got busted and went back to prison for nine years and now I am out. I have been out for nine and a half months now. I pretty much did most of my me in there, more than I have spent out here.”
DAVID PINA: “I joined the gangs when I was a kid. I got in at 11 years old and then like two months later I got into my neighborhood (gang) I went to juvenile hall. I was only supposed to do six months, but the things that I did in there…pretty much, well, you can say I committed another crime in there. It made my stay go from six months to about seven years. They kept me there till I was 18 years old. I did all those years straight, and then I got out at 18 and lasted out here for four years. I got busted and went back to prison for nine years and now I am out. I have been out for nine and a half months now. I pretty much did most of my me in there, more than I have spent out here.” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography
“I am trying to enjoy life and catch up on a lot of things that I missed out on. And that’s it, you know? I am a pretty simple man. Just catching up on having fun, whatever you do in life.”
VINCENT RAMOS: “I am trying to enjoy life and catch up on a lot of things that I missed out on. And that’s it, you know? I am a pretty simple man. Just catching up on having fun, whatever you do in life.” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography
“When I got all this, I was younger. I have so much work on my body and my legs. I do want to do tattoo removal, but I don’t know if I am going to be able. I have a lot of work, a lot of work, you know? I could find a better job. It is really hard for me out there. I don’t see that in here (Homeboy Industries).”
MARIO LUNDES: “When I got all this, I was younger. I have so much work on my body and my legs. I do want to do tattoo removal, but I don’t know if I am going to be able. I have a lot of work, a lot of work, you know? I could find a better job. It is really hard for me out there. I don’t see that in here (Homeboy Industries).” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography
“My tattoos represent my neighborhood, most of them. I am removing the ones on my face, anything that is gang related. A few months before my brother was getting out on parole I decided to do good. I just decided to do the right thing, because I knew he was coming home after seven years. So I  figured I could not tell him to stay out of trouble if I was still doing the same bullshit myself, so we decided to do it together.”
CHRISTIAN RIVERA: “My tattoos represent my neighborhood, most of them. I am removing the ones on my face, anything that is gang related. A few months before my brother was getting out on parole I decided to do good. I just decided to do the right thing, because I knew he was coming home after seven years. So I  figured I could not tell him to stay out of trouble if I was still doing the same bullshit myself, so we decided to do it together.” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography
“When I was like 11 or 12 they sent me to the City of Hope and I was a little bad ass, I was a good liar, a good thief. I think this project is going to benefit a lot of people, once they hear our stories. Everybody in every city, state, the country can relate to gang life because there are gangs everywhere.”
RICHARD TELLER: “When I was like 11 or 12 they sent me to the City of Hope and I was a little bad ass, I was a good liar, a good thief. I think this project is going to benefit a lot of people, once they hear our stories. Everybody in every city, state, the country can relate to gang life because there are gangs everywhere.” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography
6 years in Isolation, 6 years in Isolation, shackled wrists and legs...Source: Facebook / Steven Burton Photography
“My first tattoos were the three dots on my face, this “LA,” and just some writing I have here that I have been covering up. After that, it just kept escalating. I got addicted, just kept going. I got the gang tattooed on me numerous times. It’s like a pride thing I guess, just pride where you are from. Pretty much advertising it everywhere you go, that is all that is.”
SAMUEL GONZALEZ: “My first tattoos were the three dots on my face, this “LA,” and just some writing I have here that I have been covering up. After that, it just kept escalating. I got addicted, just kept going. I got the gang tattooed on me numerous times. It’s like a pride thing I guess, just pride where you are from. Pretty much advertising it everywhere you go, that is all that is.” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography
“When I was young I wanted to be a police officer. That is all I thought about, that is all I dreamed about. When I lost my mother from cancer, from there I just followed my older brother. Wherever he went I went, whatever he did I did, whatever he got I got. We grew up rough you know?”
TAPIA JUNIOR: “When I was young I wanted to be a police officer. That is all I thought about, that is all I dreamed about. When I lost my mother from cancer, from there I just followed my older brother. Wherever he went I went, whatever he did I did, whatever he got I got. We grew up rough you know?” Source: ©StevenBurtonPhotography
Father Boyle witnessed the devastating impact of gang violence on his community during the so-called “decade of death” that began in the late 1980s and peaked at 1,000 gang-related killings in 1992.  In the face of law enforcement tactics and criminal justice policies of suppression and mass incarceration as the means to end gang violence, he and parish and community members adopted what was a radical approach at the time: treat gang members as human beings.
Father Gregory Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. Father Boyle witnessed the devastating impact of gang violence on his community during the so-called “decade of death” that began in the late 1980s and peaked at 1,000 gang-related killings in 1992.  In the face of law enforcement tactics and criminal justice policies of suppression and mass incarceration as the means to end gang violence, he and parish and community members adopted what was a radical approach at the time: treat gang members as human beings. Source: Facebook/HomeboyIndustries

How to find HomeboyIndustries and Steven Burton

Watch their reactions here. Follow Skindeep Project and Steven’s other work on his website and Instagram. Check out HomeboyIndustries on their website and Facebook page.

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DONATE TO HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES TODAY

For 32 years, Homeboy Industries has existed as a nonprofit that proudly stands with the most marginalized among us. We are firmly rooted in the belief that hope, training and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women provides the foundational healing necessary for sustained change. Through our innovative 18-month program model, participants are exposed to wraparound services such as Tattoo Removal, Mental Health Services, GED preparation, and more – all with the singular goal of healing the cycle of violence and restoring lives. Please consider making a generous, tax-deductible donation to allow us to continue to stand with those on the margins in this unique time. Thank you for standing with us.