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Pritzker, Welch and regional leaders praise John Harrell and Black Men United for affordable housing project
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch,” and legislative leaders and local mayors praised a projected to convert a building to low-income housing in Maywood by Rev. John Harrell and Black Men United. CLICK HERE to view a video of the ribbong cutting and press conference or use the video widget below to watch the video.
Harrell, a co-founder of BMU, was joined by more than 200 residents and the state and local officials for a ribbon-cutting at the site of the building at 1010 Greenwood Ave., in Maywood on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.
Among the dignitaries speaking at the press conference praising Harrell and BMU were Pritzker, Welch, Maywood Mayor Nathaniel George Booker, Cook County Commissioners Tara Stamps and Bill Lowery, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson, and Illinois State Senators Lakisha Collins and Kimberly Lightford.
“For too long in Illinois, local communities and organizations like Black Men United have been carrying this burden alone. Generations of disinvestment and neglect had forced our people to fend for themselves. It was a reflection of failed leadership in government at all levels. All along, you didn’t have a partner who was willing to stand alongside you in the fight to lift up our community. A partner who helped to make real improvements to education and housing and healthcare,” Pritzker said, praising Harrell and BMU.
“And by the way, right where we’re standing, education, housing, and healthcare, truly. Well, I want you to know, state government is no longer on the sidelines. No, no longer missing in action. As long as I’m governor, and as long as I get to work with the leaders of this community, the state of Illinois will remain in the game for all of you. Over the past six years, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside community partners, to listen, and to take action, to make up for the years of systemic and institutional failures.”
Pritzker offered a “special thanks” to Harrell who is leading the redevelopment of the apartment building along with BMU co-founders Anthony Prince, Terry Young, and Johnny Jackson.
Calling Harrell his “friend,” Welch told the gathering, “When I think about the work that Reverend Harrell and Black Men United are doing here in Maywood on the West Side and all throughout our city, they’ve been playing an infinite game stabilizing families since the day they started. That’s been their mission. To make communities better. To make housing affordable. To help people have access to healthcare. To make sure people actually have access to food and nutrition.”
Harrell thanked everyone for attending and supporting the effort, acknowledging all of the elected officials, and gave special tribute to BMU co-founders Anthony Prince, Terry Young, and Johnny Jackson.
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“You’re looking at an organization that has helped over 500,000, 600,000 people on the west side alone. You’re looking at an organization that has blessed some 700,000 people in Proviso Township.”
Collins, also praising Harrell and BMU for their work, said, “You all do some amazing work. They, BMU, are in 37 states and some. You all have the blueprint to preventing violence. You are giving people multiple options. And the work that you’re doing as peacekeepers and what Mayor Booker just said, is why it’s so important to invest in people.”
She added, “This building restores hope. It gives people an opportunity to have a seat at the table, to eat dinner, to talk to their families about the things that are going on in society. It gives them respect. It restores their dignity. It is a restoration, and it’s also a modern upgrade, and it’s investing in clean energy. The workforce development piece, you’re putting people back to work.”
Harrell noted that Collins was “critical” in securing $2 million in state funding for the building that made the project possible.
“She had faith in what we were doing and recognized early how significant it all is and how it can help the community,” Harrell said.
Thompson said, “I’m so proud of the vision and commitment of Pastor John Harrell and Black Men United, whose work has consistently created spaces for unity in our communities. The- through community giveaways, food distribution to fight food desert, violent prevention efforts, and now, safe housing initiatives. They come to show us what it means to serve those in need and build a stronger community for all. I’m in- especially encouraged that this project even goes further by making investments as environmental sustainability, from solar energy, to water conservation, to indoor air quality systems.”
Lowery said, “Pastor John Harrell and Black Men United, with the support of state funding and additional investment from Cook County’s Home Fund, have taken an important step today and that step is by purchasing this property. The mission is clear and the mission is urgent. It is to provide safe and affordable housing that uplifts the lives of families who are restoring strength to our community. This project is simply about, uh, more than just building housing. This mission is about creating homes.”
Lowery added, “It’s about creating places where children can grow and grandparents can watch them grow. It’s about places where families can thrive and look forward to their future, all while creating lasting memories. But this project is only the beginning.”
Praising Harrell and BMU as a “blessing to this community,” Booker said, “When we’re dealing with people who are experiencing homelessness in a way of saying they don’t have a space to live, we work in partnership with different organizations that can get those families maybe off their auntie’s couch into an apartment, that Black Men United are the first ones to come and house them and make sure that they have furniture. When we have community giveaways, last year we had a community giveaway that fed over 500 families in partnership and thanks to Black Men United.”
Stamps said that whenever she or the community needed assistance, “Harrell is always there.”
Booker called Pastor Harrell and Terri Young, founders of BMU, “a blessing to this community and to this region and to the nation.”
“When we’re dealing with people who are experiencing homelessness, in a way of saying they don’t have a space to live, we work in partnership with different organizations that can get those families maybe off their auntie’s couch into an apartment, that Black Men United are the first ones to come and house them and make sure that they have furniture. When we have community giveaways, last year we had a community giveaway that fed over 500 families in partnership and thanks to Black Men United,” Booker said.
“Black Men United is at every corner, nook, and cr- cranny of the Village of Maywood in all elements of a healthy community, truly focusing on building out the social determinants of health. God bless Black Men United.”
Harrell also acknowledged the contributions made by U.S. Congressman Danny Davis, who is retiring from office next year.
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Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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