Faith, Vision & Reviving the 95th Street Corridor
OCTOBER 15, 2025
Voices in Theological Education | Rev. Veronica Johnson
When Rev. Veronica Johnson (MDiv, McCormick Theological Seminary) speaks about economic development, her language carries both conviction and compassion. It’s the vocabulary of faith meeting urban renewal—where Scripture’s call to “seek the welfare of the city” becomes strategy, advocacy, and community building.
As Executive Director of The Endeleo Institute, a nonprofit rooted in Trinity United Church of Christ, Rev. Johnson is helping to shape one of Chicago’s most ambitious redevelopment efforts — the 95th Street Corridor Plan, a two-mile stretch on the South Side that has long symbolized both the pain and promise of disinvested communities.
REIMAGINING A CORRIDOR OF PROMISE
The 95th Street Corridor initiative, years in the making, represents a collective vision for transformation. With the leadership of organizations like The Endeleo Institute and the Far South Community Development Corporation, the plan centers on affordable housing, walkable neighborhoods, and community-based businesses that bring vitality and safety back to the area.
Rev. Johnson’s role is both visionary and deeply practical. She and her team at Endeleo have applied for funding through Chicago’s Commercial Corridor Activation Program, seeking $1.2 million for planning and $3.1 million for infrastructure upgrades over three years. Their focus? Ensuring local ownership and sustainable business growth.
What’s needed to bring the plan Johnson is guiding is not just development, but development that belongs to the people who live in the community.
FAITH AS A FRAMEWORK FOR CHANGE
At its core, Johnson’s work is theological. It’s about reclaiming agency, dignity, and the sacredness of community spaces. Her approach reflects a distinctly McCormick formation — rooted in social justice, community partnership, and theological imagination.
For her, the 95th Street Corridor is not just a place, it’s a parable of renewal. Through collaboration with churches, local leaders, and city planners, Johnson embodies the idea that public theology can be both prophetic and practical.
She reminds us that transformation is not a solo act; it’s the collective work of faith communities who dare to believe that restoration is possible.
A MCCORMICK LEGACY IN ACTION
Rev. Johnson’s leadership illustrates the mission of McCormick Theological Seminary: to prepare faith-rooted leaders who act boldly in the public square, bridging theology and tangible change. Her story stands as a living example of how theological education moves beyond classrooms — into neighborhoods, policy tables, and construction sites — where hope takes form in concrete and brick.
As revitalization gains momentum along the South Side, Rev. Johnson and The Endeleo Institute remind us that rebuilding neighborhoods is also about rebuilding trust, memory, and shared purpose.