2025 Capstones
View the Class of 2025 Cleveland Freedom Project's Capstone Projects below. Click the photo to view the full capstone.
Congratulations to the Capstone & Interview Winners of 2025!
Hidden Wounds
By Randy Mitchell & Emmanuel Heard
Male domestic violence is a serious issue that remains largely underreported. An estimated 1 in 7 men experience severe physical violence in their lifetime, and nearly 49% report psychological aggression. However, many men do not seek help due to social stigma and fears of being seen as weak. In Ohio, domestic violence contributes to significant mental health challenges for male survivors, including depression, PTSD, and anxiety.
Abort Mission
By Ja’Sha Bouie & Laiana Hunter
Abortion rights are fundamentally about the ability of individuals, particularly women and people capable of pregnancy, to make informed, autonomous decisions about their reproductive health. Central to this is the right to access safe, legal, and affordable abortion care without fear of discrimination, stigma, or government interference.
Still Searching for Shelter
By Demetrius Reese Jr. & Damond Gregory Jr.
23,000 people experience homelessness annually in Northeast Ohio. About 80% were sheltered while 20% were unsheltered. In Cleveland, Ohio, Black individuals and Native Americans experience homelessness at rates significantly higher than their representation in the general population.
Unplanned But Not Unheard
By Morgan Brantley and Brenda Johnson
Teen pregnancy remains a serious issue in Cleveland due to its strong ties to poverty, limited access to healthcare, and lack of comprehensive sex education. It contributes to higher dropout rates, long-term financial hardship, and intergenerational cycles of disadvantage. In 2022, Cuyahoga County reported a teen birth rate of 16.6 per 1,000 girls ages 15–19, surpassing both the state and national averages.
Cries Gone Unheard
By Di’Aera Bradley & Breillyn McPherson
The foster care system in Cleveland and across Ohio are supposed to keep kids safe, but it’s been failing in many ways. Some kids are being placed in homes where they continue to face abuse or neglect. This mostly affects teens and Black children as they are overrepresented in the system. It’s important to talk about this because no child should feel unsafe in a system that’s meant to protect them.
Toxic on the Lake
By Christopher Gooden
Water pollution in Ohio is a serious issue, especially in areas near Lake Erie. The biggest problem is our food from farms, which causes harmful red tides that can make our water unsafe to drink and swim in. In 2025, Cleveland ranked 9th worst in the nation for year-round particle pollution, and 50th worst for ozone smog, with an F grade in both categories.
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Rewriting the Streets
By Adon Hall & Beau Harris Jr.
Gang violence in Cleveland, Ohio, presents a persistent challenge, impacting community safety and stability. Factors such as poverty, lack of opportunities, and social inequalities contribute to its prevalence. Law enforcement and community organizations are actively working to address the root causes and implement intervention strategies.
Voices Of The Mind
By Dior Howell & Heaven Brooks
Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, physical and social well being. It can affect how individuals think, feel and act, as well as how they handle stress, relate to others and make choices. About 24-25% of adults experience a mental illness each year and youth ages 12-17 about 18% faced at least one major depressive episodes. Good mental health allows individuals to cope with challenges of life, work productivity and contribute to their communities.
Poverty on Prospect
By Antoine Maiden & Kiante Johnson
Cleveland continues to face severe, multigenerational poverty, with high burdens on children, seniors, and racial minorities. Despite modest income gains, systemic challenges like housing shortages, racial inequality, and concentrated neighborhood poverty persist. . Education, particularly for girls, is a key factor in reducing poverty. Speaking of children, UNESCO reports that if all students in low-income countries had just basic literacy skills. Nearly 31% of its residents living below the poverty line.
Behind Closed Doors
By Tristin Gooden & Joshua Mhoon Jr.
Child endangerment refers to the abuse, mistreatment, or neglect of a minor placing any child under the age of 18 in a situation that poses a threat or significant risk to their health or safety. In Cleveland, child endangerment disproportionately affects infants and young children, particularly in neighborhoods such as Glenville and Collinwood.
Within All Covers
By Michaela Palmer & Alexis Bradley
The literacy rate is defined by the percentage of the population of a given age group that can read and write. Ohio has been actively working to improve literacy rates by implementing targeted interventions and providing support for struggling students. Despite these efforts, literacy remains a significant challenge, particularly among adults and children. In Ohio, only 43% of fourth-graders are proficient in math and 32% in reading both down from 2015.
The One Who Stayed
By Ja’vonte Burley & Marrell Robinson
Single parenting refers to raising a child or children without the ongoing support of a partner. This situation may arise from divorce, seperation, death of a partner, single adoption or choosing parent. Independently, Over 26,000 families in Cleveland are headed by single parents
Broken Systems, Broken Lives: The Healthcare Struggles in Ohio
By Darnesha Greene & Devyn Edmond
Child Neglect is defined as the failure of a parent or guardian to provide needed food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision to the degree that the child's health, safety, and well-being are threatened with harm. Children who are neglected have a 43% higher risk of dying early. It is of the utmost importance that children feel safe and have the proper resources they need not only to survive but to thrive in the world today.
Cleveland Corrupted By Our Hollow Homes
By Nihoni Nitsche & Sebastian Acevedo
Cleveland struggles with high rates of crime and violence especially in certain neighborhoods. This impacts the safety, quality of life and economic health of the city. This affects everyone but is felt most by families in low‑income areas. The youth are exposed to violence and local businesses trying to operate in unsafe conditions.
Darkness After Delivery
By Iyana Johnson & Ja’Zonna Bouie
Postpartum depression (PPD) in Ohio is a pressing issue affecting thousands of families, especially in rural and marginalized communities. It is a serious and often misunderstood mental health condition that can develop after childbirth. It affects not only a new mothers emotional well-being but also her ability to function, bond with her baby, and also care for herself. PPD can begin anytime within the first year postpartum, but often emerges within the first few weeks after giving birth. It is important for people to know about this because early recognition is crucial for the mother and baby.
The Slow Poison
By La’Mya Bentley & Kendall Brown-King
Drug abuse in teens has become a increasing problem in Ohio within the ages of 12-17. Since 2023, Cuyahoga County has reported 1,070 drug overdose related deaths. Ohio also ranks 16th nationally in youth drug overdose rates. However, supporting teens mental health may help solve this problem as much as possible.
CODE BLUE
By Tarissa Priest & Marlin Alexander
Gun violence in Cleveland is a major public health crisis driven by poverty, easy access to firearms and lack trauma support, especially underfunded neighborhoods. The city ranks 23rd nationally in gun related injuries and death with over 2,000 people dying from gun violence annually in many urban areas like Cleveland. Local efforts like the violence prevention are working to break the cycle through street outreach, community healing in youth intervention.