covered in gang tattoos. It jostles
us beyond judgment and the
high moral distance that keeps us
from each other. Burton leads us
right into the awe of their stories,
appreciating fully what each has
had to carry. A homegirl said to
me once, “At Homeboy, God
gets visual.” Much the same
happens as you go through this
special book. Lines at the margins
get erased as surely as these
markings on gang members’
skin. Obliterated, in a striking way,
is the illusion of our separation...
that there is an “us” and “them.”
In the lament of a homie...seeing
his clean skin...longing for his
mom to be alive to see this...is
not just a sadness, but the bright
promise of inclusion and kinship.
The digital erasure is not then a
“trick,” but a means to quicken us
all to leave behind the judgments
that obscure our common call
to build a community of kinship,
such that God might recognize
it. The images in this book are
not meant to capture ache
and loss, so much as it wants to
hold out hope that union with
each other is always possible. It
is, in fact, howGod gets visual.
Gregory J.Boyle, S.J. Founder
and Executive Director Homeboy
Industries.
Q13. Do you see yourself as a
humanitarian or human rights
activist?
SB: I’m a portrait photographer.
Q14. How do we as
individuals, support your
cause?
SB: Follow my social media! I will
be continuing the project and
would love for people to get
involved and support the project
as well as the N.G.O’s we are
highlighting Facebook
www.facebook.com/
skindeephomeboys/
Instagram
www.instagram.com/skindeep_
project
Youtube
www.youtube.com/channel/
UCpEtLE7wJ9R3DG-iG5xTt2w
Q15. Have you thought of
maybe doing a movie or
something on TV or video
streaming about it?
S.B. Possibly in the future.
July 2020
Polo De’Marco