Faith, Footsteps & Follow-Through: The Cherry-Hood Pipeline and Chicago’s Fight for Tomorrow
By Christopher “Tru” Hood
Full Sail University – New Media Journalism
🔗 Original Story: Faith, Family, and Film – How One Studio Is Rewriting the Story of Chicago’s Youth
🔗 Companion Story: From the Bronx to the Block – David Cherry’s Chicago Legacy and the Power of Performance
Community Builders: Andrea M. Hood & David Cherry
( Better Infograph Link above )
Chicago, IL — July 6, 2025
As three mass shootings rattled Chicago over the July 4th weekend, two community leaders remain unwavering in their mission: David Cherry and Rev. Andrea “Mama” Hood. Through decades of work, they’ve built not just programs, but pipelines of purpose.
This story is more than a follow-up. It’s a check-in on legacy work still in motion, where faith meets performance, and action echoes louder than despair.
In a city where the headlines often bleed, two leaders—Rev. Andrea “Mama” Hood and David Cherry chose to plant seeds. This is more than a follow-up. This is a legacy check-in.
A deeper look at what happens when you blend faith, performance, and unshakable community roots in the face of violence, neglect, and generational trauma.
The Blueprint: Two Leaders, One Purpose
David Cherry, founder of the All Stars Project of Chicago, didn’t arrive with a political title or media campaign. He came with a proven model from New York—a performance-based approach to youth development. He came to build stages, not barriers. 
Since 2007, he’s helped over 40,000 young people through the All Stars Talent Show Network and the Development School for Youth. That includes 200+ paid internships, dozens of talent shows, and a belief system where every kid has a spotlight waiting.
“They deserve the stage,” Cherry says.
“They deserve sound systems that work. They deserve adults who believe in them.”
But no movement like this stands alone.
Standing beside him from the very beginning has been Rev. Andrea Hood, affectionately known across the South Side as “Mama Hood.” A voice of faith. A woman of action. A spiritual force.
In 2013, during one of Chicago’s deadliest stretches of gun violence, Cherry and Hood organized Community Action Day, knocking on 2,000+ doors to ask a simple but powerful question:
What do you need to feel safe?
No preaching. No promises. Just listening.
“I can, you can, we can together,” Rev. Hood told her team.
“That’s where the action begins.”
The Pipeline: From Performance to Purpose
Their model is radical in its simplicity: Cherry builds stages. Hood builds altars. Together, they create transformation.
And it didn’t stop there. Tru Hood Studio, led by Rev. Hood’s son and this article’s author, has taken the torch and lit new paths.
Today, the studio runs film camps, teaches DJing and digital storytelling, and serves as a healing hub for Chicago youth. Built on three pillars:
- Faith through spiritual mentorship
- Family through community support
- Film through truth-telling and narrative restoration
“Faith. Family. Film.” isn’t just a tagline.
It’s a way of surviving Chicago.
The Personal: A Son’s Truth
Christopher “Tru” Hood, co-leader of Tru Hood Studio, shares:
“I’m not just reporting this story. I’ve lived it. My mom—Rev. Andrea Hood has given her life to this city.
I’ve seen her take public transportation in the dead of winter to deliver food to seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. No car. Just a cart. Gloves. Mask. Hand sanitizer. And heart.”
“I’ve seen her gather Latinos and African Americans on one block, reminding folks we’re not just neighbors—we’re family.
When people were scared to step outside, she knocked on doors. When others gave up, she built bridges.”
“Back in 2007, I didn’t get it. I didn’t jump into the All-Stars Talent Show right away.
I thought it was just another program. But now… I see the fruit. I see the lives changed.
And I’m proud—honored—to be a part of it.”
The Crisis: Chicago’s Ongoing Battle
This isn’t just about the past.
This July 4th weekend, three mass shootings rocked Chicago neighborhoods.
The violence doesn’t take breaks. And neither do Cherry and Hood.
“There’s so much optimism, so much love,” Cherry says.
“We have to highlight the people doing good in Chicago. They’ve got big hearts… and I’m proud of the good things they’re doing.”
But Tru asks the deeper question:
“How do these activists continue when the very system seems built to wear them down?
What happens when people trying to save the world are constantly being blocked, ignored, or forgotten?”
“People are killing each other out here—for what? And the ones trying to uplift? They’re out here fighting to be heard. That’s backward.
But we fight anyway.“
The Impact: Timeline of Transformation
🎙 Multimedia Elements
Audio Clip:
David Cherry on Chicago’s Soul
“There’s so much love… so many people trying to do the right thing.
We just have to keep spreading that love around. Highlight the folks doing good.”
Infographic: The Cherry-Hood Pipeline — 18 Years of Impact
2007: All Stars Project Chicago launches
2013: 2,000 homes visited on Community Action Day
2016: I CAN host a citywide anti-violence rally
2019: Tru Hood Studio launches youth media camp
2020: Mama Hood delivers food to 100+ seniors during COVID
2024: 200+ paid internships completed
2025: Citywide youth media lab initiative launched
Why This Follow-Up Matters
This isn’t just an update.
It’s a continuation of a movement.
It’s a call to action.
It’s a living, breathing model of what legacy truly means.
Rev. Andrea Hood and David Cherry aren’t waiting on the policy.
They’re raising up youth. They’re holding down blocks. They’re rewriting the narrative—one mic, one meal, one act of love at a time.
“Chicago doesn’t need another headline,” Tru says.
“It needs healing. It needs hope. It needs Cherry. It needs a Hood. And it needs the next generation ready to carry the torch.”
Faith. Footsteps. Follow-through.
That’s the Cherry-Hood Pipeline.
That’s the South Side soul.
And that’s how you fight for tomorrow—one frame at a time. 🖤🎙️📸