The Scripture That Framed the Vision
John 1:45–46
"Philip found Nathanael and told him, 'We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' 'Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael asked. 'Come and see,' said Philip."
When Nathanael questioned whether anything good could come from Nazareth, he mirrored the same kind of doubt people speak over our neighborhoods today.
Choosing "HOOD" on Purpose
When most people hear or use the word, "hood" it usually isn't tied to anything good. It is a word that has been used like a label that strips people of dignity before they even speak.
We refuse to agree with that.
We chose the word "hood" intentionally and powerfully. Not to glorify struggle, but to honor origin.
When we say HOOD, we're not speaking about brokenness,
we're speaking about heritage.
A heritage shaped by grandparents who held families together, mothers who worked miracles with little, fathers who carried the weight of the world on their shoulders as life pressed hard on their backs, and young people who kept dreaming even when the world told them not to.
Our neighborhoods carry a history of strength, creativity, survival, laughter, struggle, joy, faith, and the unshakeable determination to rise.
Heritage of Our Determination
The hood isn't just where we come from, it's what formed us.
It's the soil that taught us how to endure, how to hope, how to innovate, how to pray, how to get back up, and how to keep going no matter what tried to stop us.
It's the story of a people who were counted out, yet still managed to produce brilliance, resilience, and purpose.
The Hood Series reminds us that our neighborhoods are more than a location. They are living testimonies of determination passed down through generations. They are places where greatness has always been present, waiting to be seen, honored, and celebrated.
Just as the Messiah came from Nazareth, the place everyone questioned, innovators, world changers, culture shapers, and kingdom builders are emerging from our hoods.
Who's Behind the Hood Series?
The Hood Series is an initiative of iTECH Impact, a multifaceted nonprofit organization committed to faith-centered, community-centered transformation. Through technology, education, outreach, innovation, and strategic partnerships, iTECH Impact focuses on:
Building programs that honor identity and dignity
Creating spaces for learning, healing, and opportunity
Connecting faith, technology, education, and community work in practical ways
Hood Series is one of the ways iTECH Impact lives out its calling, to shine a light on the overlooked, to serve where the need is greatest, and to show that God is still moving in the very places people try to ignore.
From One Hood to Many
iTECH Impact's Hood Series isn't designed to stay locked in one city. It is a model for community transformation that can be adopted in neighborhoods across the nation.
We're showing communities how to:
Celebrate their heritage
Honor their sacrifices
Proclaim their freedom
Showcase their excellence
We believe every hood has a story worth telling, and every city has neighborhoods ready to be seen, valued, and invested in.