A $3,500 grant awarded to CommunityCorey from the 2026 Chicago Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities will help expand literacy, arts and entrepreneurship programming for West Side youth this summer, continuing an effort that founder Corey Dooley Johnson says is aimed at building safer communities through creativity and opportunity.
“While I am a proud Austin resident, I’m an even prouder resident of the greater West Side. What drives my work is being creative and a survivor of gun violence. I’ve used those traumas and experiences as fuel for my creativity and that’s where my art really comes from, the self-expression that comes from overcoming challenges,” Johnson said.
CommunityCorey is a community development organization founded by Corey Dooley Johnson that combines business, education and grassroots initiatives to promote economic opportunity, literacy, healing, and neighborhood revitalization on Chicago’s West Side.
“If people were to ask about me, I would say that I am an author, an artist and an entrepreneur. My organization was awarded this grant and I am happy to continue bringing programming to the West Side,” he said.
The grant will help fund an arts pitch competition for local youth and residents, offering cash prizes to participants whose artwork best reflects a designated community theme.
“My initial reaction when I found out I received the grant was elated and excited. This work started in 2023 with a small grant from the trust. It was the first grant my organization had received and I was happy to be able to continue bringing programming to the West Side. This summer, success would mean reaching at least 100 students and receiving 50 art submissions,” Johnson said.
The initiative extends beyond CommunityCorey and is part of a broader effort through its Chicago Lit Collective. It began as a pilot program written for a 2023 grant focused on improving literacy rates among Chicago youth. The work centers on the seven elements of literacy: reading, writing, creativity, technology, viewing and speaking.
“CommunityCorey partnered with Jay Simon and Kent Jones, who run a company called Jones Corner Store. They also have a character named Elvin the Elephant. I share this because through our characters, Hearthead and Elvin and through our collaboration as authors with published books, we wanted to use these characters as a way to teach youth literacy and increase literacy rates,” Johnson said.
When asked about his long-term vision for CommunityCorey and the Austin neighborhood, Johnson said he initially launched the organization as an LLC after being inspired by local business owners to pursue entrepreneurship.
Although he was hesitant to start a nonprofit because of the paperwork involved, he said he is glad he took that step and now hopes to continue growing both organizations while expanding arts programming for youth and increasing partnerships with Chicago Public Schools to bring more art into classrooms.
“We do mural installations and I already have a mural in the Soul City District. My goal is to continue spreading art throughout the Soul City District and Soul City Corridor in a meaningful way. I want to use characters like Hearthead and Elvin the Elephant to grow the Chicago Lit Collective. Through that initiative, we’re also looking to recruit local authors who have their own characters and share our mission of increasing literacy.”
Johnson said his long-term vision is to build a network of creatives, entrepreneurs and authors who can share resources and help young people publish their own books. He sees Austin becoming a hub where artists and community leaders collaborate to expand opportunities for youth.
“I see the Soul City District becoming an economic driver and a cultural destination where people from around the world can experience the unique art, creativity and expression that come from the community. I want it to showcase the stories and talents of Black Chicagoans and Black Americans more broadly,” Johnson said.