Pastor Corey Brooks, founder of Project H.O.O.D. on Chicago's South Side, argues that federal welfare policies enacted over the past 60 years have systematically undermined Black families and severed their connection to the American Dream. Brooks, drawing on his two decades of experience working within the community, asserts that these programs, intended to alleviate poverty, instead fostered dependency and discouraged family structures.
Brooks' perspective aligns with comments made by Christian Maxwell, the Republican nominee for Illinois' 1st Congressional District, who suggested that a shift in Black women's self-perception from victims to full participants in the American narrative could disrupt the progressive coalition built on grievances. Brooks echoes this sentiment, stating that Black women have been "trained, indoctrinated and propagandized to see themselves as victims of America." He believes this narrative has trapped them in a cycle of poverty and resentment rather than enabling them to pursue possibility and opportunity.
According to Brooks, a critical flaw in the War on Poverty was the design of assistance programs that financially penalized mothers for having a male partner present while incentivizing more children. He contends this structure led to a surge in fatherlessness and created a system where dependency became the most "responsible choice" for single mothers, breaking family units across generations. Brooks emphasizes that the women he works with are not inherently weak but were born into and trapped by this system. He directs his criticism not at these mothers, but at the bureaucracy that encouraged them to trust its systems over their own capabilities.
Project H.O.O.D. focuses on assisting mothers in transitioning from government assistance to stable employment. Brooks describes this as a "leap business," helping women bridge the financial gap between welfare checks and independent paychecks. He notes that this gap can be significant, sometimes around $20,000, before employment becomes more financially rewarding than dependency. The organization provides resources and support for individuals pursuing trades and vocational training, enabling them to achieve economic independence.
Brooks highlights success stories from Project H.O.O.D., including a mother of four who became an electrician and another who passed the police exam after multiple attempts. He attributes these achievements to the women's own efforts, with Project H.O.O.D. providing the foundational support and belief in their potential. He contrasts the celebratory feeling of receiving a paycheck with the lack of joy associated with welfare checks, viewing the former as a realization of the American Dream.
Brooks believes that reconnecting Black women and families with the American Dream through opportunities in skilled trades and entrepreneurship is not charity, but a restoration of their inherent rights. He concludes by reiterating Maxwell's point that when Black women embrace their role within the American narrative, the nation can move toward greater unity.