An eastbound Metro train passes above Homeboy Industries’ headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, a location that will soon be more connected to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) with the expansion of the city’s light rail network before the 2028 Olympic Games.
Inside Homeboy Industries, Cianna Ulloa and her father, Cesar Ulloa, move through the busy Homegirl Café. Many greet them as they pass. “I grew up around here, so these people have known me since I was little,” Cianna said. Her father is quick to share her accomplishments: Cianna is a third-year sociology student at UCLA.
“My dad inspired me to do it,” Cianna added. “Just to see him better his life for me and for my entire family was so encouraging.”
Cesar Ulloa manages retail merchandising at several Homeboy locations, overseeing sales of apparel and mugs featuring messages such as, “You are exactly what God had in mind when he made you.” He reads this message aloud to Cianna from one of their t-shirts.
Cesar’s current life is very different from his past involvement with gangs and drugs—a story he shared during UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk’s visit to Homeboy Industries earlier this year. “Before I got to Homeboy, I was heavily involved in drugs and gangs,” Cesar said. “It separated me from my family, from my kids.”
“One of the things we have to get used to at Homeboy is change,” Cesar continued. “When I started, I was like, ‘Change what? I’m used to this. I was raised this way. There were drugs on the floor. Coming out of the house, there was a shooting. I saw older people getting beaten.’”
Cianna reflected on her father’s transformation: “My dad was in survival mode back then,” she said. “So many Homeboys were in survival mode before they got here. Change starts with being open and being honest, being OK with what has happened in the past to transform into the person you want to become.”
As a young child, Cianna received messages from her father written in a leather journal—advice intended for after his passing if necessary—but later delivered in person as Cesar began changing his life through support from Homeboy Industries.
“I would write to Cianna, ‘This is what I want you to do when you grow up. This is what I want you to look out for.’ Then I thought, ‘I want to tell her these things in person.’ It was writing to Cianna that planted the seed for a different future. After a number of rehabs where I didn’t get it, I came to Homeboy Industries and I was able to turn my life around.”
Both recall losing family members—Cianna’s brother and uncle—to gang violence.
“If it wasn’t for Homeboy, I wouldn’t have made it to UCLA,” Cianna said about participating in youth programs that helped develop her art and writing skills during her teenage years.
“My world expanded. I was able to gain new experiences, new skills and that prepared me for life at UCLA. I’m incredibly grateful that my mom and dad supported me, and I want to be more like my father.”
While still in high school, she wrote a research paper on how effective Homeboy’s rehabilitation programs are: “I learned how important one-on-one case management is,” she explained. “That taught me social work was the path for me, a path of service and helping others.”
The relationship between UCLA and Homeboy Industries includes academic research by faculty at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs into programs focused on personal relationships; additionally, UCLA Health provides tattoo removal services at Homeboy Industries; some alumni have gone on from Homeboy programs to graduate from UCLA.
One executive leader at Homeboy is Shirley Torres—a UCLA alumna who played an active role during Chancellor Frenk’s January visit—and Father Greg Boyle founded the organization after years serving East L.A.; Boyle recently joined key leaders at a multifaith conversation hosted by two UCLA institutes.
After attending an event together at UCLA’s campus following a basketball victory over USC at Pauley Pavilion—a campus noted for its academic excellence, diverse perspectives,inclusivity, acclaimed faculty including Nobel laureates,national recognition across disciplines,and broad research activities—Cesar expressed pride watching his daughter succeed as she pursues studies in sociology with minors focused on civic engagement.
Looking ahead toward graduation after three years as an undergraduate—the first university student in her family—Cianna shared her goals: “I would like to work with at-risk youth, possibly drug rehabilitation or children’s social work,” she said.“The path is still broad but I do know that I want to help people.”
Reflecting on their journey together,“Looking at my baby girl walking on this campus with everybody else,it’s a proud feeling to see her succeed,” Cesar said.
