Boyle Heights native-turned Hollywood producer, Brian Quintana, returned to his birthplace today to bring Christmas cheer to Homeboy Industries. The Los Angeles based charity was founded by Father Gregory Boyle and is perhaps the nation's most recognized center for gang-impacted and at-risk youth.Quintana enlisted companies he does business with to compile a Holiday gift bag that has Hollywood's charitable community buzzing. And that is no easy task in any economy. Warner Bros. Entertainment donated the new Batman DVD, Universal Studios provided the Mummy DVD, Disney furnished the Wall-E DVD, the Spectacle Group supplied the new Guns N' Roses CD, Warner Records contributed an assortment of CDs, Joe Francis gave very tasteful Girls Gone Wild caps, Coffee Bean tossed in $5 gift cards, OPI delivered nail polish, Shorty's and Planet Salon shelled out the cosmetics, and M&M/Mars Inc. dished out the sweets. In total Quintana provided over $30,000.00 worth of merchandise to 500 youth from three charities.
Quintana is currently co-producing Superman:Man of Steel for Warner Bros. Pictures. "I am grateful for my success and believe it's my duty to give back," stated Quintana. Quintana once shared a one bedroom home with eleven family members most of whom were gang affiliated. At age fifteen Oprah Winfrey's "A Better Chance" program facilitated him attending The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut before graduating from UC Berkeley. His Hotchkiss scholarship was provided by none other than M&M/Mars Chairman Forrest E. Mars, Jr.. Prior to producing, Quintana served President Bill Clinton, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and countless other politicians.
As a member of the Honorary Committee, Quintana enlisted his Hollywood colleagues to support Homeboy's 20th Anniversary dinner earlier this year. Hollywood supporters of that event included Warner Bros. Entertainment, Dreamworks SKG, Wendy & Barry Meyer, Katie Mc Grath & JJ Abrams, Carol & Frank Biondi, Lynda & Stewart Resnick, Kirk Kerkorian, Anjelica Huston, Herb Alpert, Eva Longoria, Martin Sheen, LAPD Chief William J. Bratton, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
To make a Holiday pledge or for more information Quintana asks that you log onto www.homeboy-industries.org.
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