Project H.O.O.D. Founder Corey Brooks Aims To Turn Chicago’s ‘O Block’ Into ‘Opportunity Block‘

Pastor Corey Brooks speaks in his latest installment of “Rooftop Revelations.”

Project H.O.O.D. Founder and CEO Corey Brooks, also known as the “Rooftop Pastor,” shared another installment of his “Rooftop Revelations” series in a segment on Fox News. 

Brooks recently finished a 343-day stint living on a rooftop to raise awareness and funds for the construction of the Robert R. McCormick Leadership & Opportunity Center in Woodlawn. 

“We aim [for] nothing less than the full transformation of Chicago’s most violent block, ‘O Block,’ into ‘opportunity block,'” Brooks shared.

In the segment, he shared the story of a young man named Devin Howard who found success through the programs and opportunities provided by Project H.O.O.D. Thanks to their carpentry and construction programs, Howard was able to find stable employment as a project engineer, and now oversees multiple projects across the city as a project manager. 

“This was supposed to be the boy that ended up in the gangs or on the streets,” Brooks said.“Now, he had a job that he was passionate about. That is why I believe so much in the trades.”

At the Leadership & Opportunity Center, trade programs will be an essential part of their offerings, as Brooks sees the trades as a vital strategy for Community Violence Intervention (CVI). 

“I believe in the trades as a way out,” Brooks said. “I went to college myself, but I know it’s not for everybody. I saw a lot of people drop out, and there were no trade classes to break their fall. There’s something magical about working with one’s hands and creating something. It’s not for everyone, but we’ve long denied our youth the opportunity of learning the craft of a trade and taking tremendous pride in it.

“Rebuilding the trades, infrastructure, and community is the key to a better America.”

Project H.O.O.D. is one of 15 organizations representing Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P), a coalition of CVI groups convened by Metropolitan Peace Initiatives.

Watch the latest installment of “Rooftop Revelations” here.