Get your Tats Off at Homeboy Industries

Written By: Emily Henry on November 18, 2009 No Comment

homeboy While reporting for KPCC’s Town Hall Journal, I had the pleasure of visiting Homeboy Industries and talking to staff - and participants - at the tattoo removal clinic. It’s a free program, thanks to donations and doctors willing to sacrifice their time. And for many ex-gang members looking to start anew, it’s an essential part of the process. But it sure hurts!

LISTEN to the audio montage here:

“It’s not easy to remove them - it does hurt,” says Gus, a former gang member who now works at the clinic. “Personally I describe it like when you cook bacon and it splatters on your skin. That’s kinda like the feeling.”

“It’s more painful than putting them on,” says Fabian, who is on his eighth session to remove the large “LA” written across his neck. He was in and out of jail for most of his gang life, and now works for Homeboy Industries as a substance abuse drug counselor.

“It hurt a lot,” says a 20-year-old former gang member who requested to remain anonymous. He got his first gang tattoo at 11 years old. “It hurt so much… but no pain no gain so I took it like a G.”