GREATER GRAND CROSSING — In 2014, the Chicago Sun-Times published an article naming the block at 6620 S. King Drive the most dangerous neighborhood in all of Chicago. Twelve years later, that same block hosted one of the most powerful community gatherings the South Side has seen in years.
On Sunday, May 17, hundreds of men — pastors, fathers, mentors, activists, business leaders, former gang members, and residents from across Chicago — gathered for the "1000 Men Unity Gathering" hosted by Pastor Corey B. Brooks and Project H.O.O.D. (Helping Others Obtain Destiny) at the nearly completed Robert R. McCormick Leadership & Economic Opportunity Center. The surrounding area was formally declared a "100% violence-free zone" — the culmination of 15 years of Brooks' relentless community investment in the neighborhood once known as "O'Block."
"This is bigger than a building," Brooks said at the gathering, according to ABC7 Chicago. "This is about creating a culture where men stand together to protect families, mentor young people, reduce violence, and build something that will outlive us." Community mentor Vondale Singleton invoked the transformation of the space itself. "I remember many years ago it was just a motel here, and he sacrificed, because he saw a vision," Singleton told ABC7. "He said, it's not the 'O Block,' it's the opportunity block."
"Violence does not own our neighborhoods. Hopelessness does not define our future. Division does not have the final word."— PASTOR COREY B. BROOKS, PROJECT H.O.O.D.
Brooks founded Project H.O.O.D. in 2012 after gaining national attention for spending 94 days on the roof of an abandoned motel on the same block to protest gun violence and poverty. According to the organization, the area is no longer among Chicago's 35 most dangerous blocks — a transformation Brooks attributes to sustained investment in mentorship, faith, workforce training, and economic development. The new McCormick Center, currently under construction and expected to be complete by October, will house programming aimed at job training, entrepreneurship, and youth services.
Pastor Gilford Monrose, who traveled from New York City for the gathering, said the model has national implications. "I think that's something the city itself needs to embrace — faith leaders coming together helping young people staying away from violence," Monrose told ABC7 Chicago. Brooks himself has said he hopes Project H.O.O.D. can become a national model for urban communities seeking long-term, faith-driven change.
The gathering comes at a moment of heightened anxiety as Chicago prepares for summer. Between May 2025 and May 2026, 150 Black and Brown youth under age 24 lost their lives in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, according to Chicago Activism Hub. A public vigil to say their names is scheduled for May 24.