Prairie State Wire

Pastor Corey Brooks and state Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) are fighting to bring peace and opportunity to a Chicago neighborhood that’s become known for its overwhelming lack of such harmony.

Brooks is the founder of Project H.O.O.D., an organization that seeks to end gun violence, as well as founder of New Beginnings Church in Chicago.

“Ten years ago, I set out on a journey to tear down a motel and we were successful in that,” Brooks said at a recent news conference highlighting the surge in violence across much of the city. “Now, here we are ten years later. We're not trying to tear anything down, we're trying to build something up, and we're here on this rooftop because we're trying to bring attention and awareness to violence, and we're trying to invite everyone that we possibly can.”

Having recently launched his campaign for governor, Bailey was on hand to lend his voice to the effort.

“Sen. Bailey took me up on the call and even though he's running for governor, he took time out of his schedule to come to the roof, and I greatly appreciate that,” Brooks added. “So many others have not heeded the call yet, but he stepped up and I want to publicly thank him.”

Brooks stressed the goal of his organization is to turn property in the long-troubled South Side community known as O-Block into a community center, entrepreneurial school and trauma counseling facility.

“A place where trades can be taught and young people can get transformation in their lives,” Brooks said. “We want to transform it. We want to be the make-uppers of change. And so, we're asking all of you to participate, asking all of you to help us, to come alongside us to do something wonderful, to help change the generation.”

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, ABC7 News reported three were killed and another 23 were injured in shootings across the city. Several of the non-fatal shootings involved teenagers.