Cleveland is making its comeback and so is the Campus District of downtown, yet the north and south neighborhoods of the District are divided by a bridge over the highway and there is a risk that our community's story will be a tale of two cities. A Bridge that Bridges project aims to personally and publically address the longstanding division of race in Cleveland. Campus District is a microcosm of the racially segregated city, physically divided by Innerbelt I-90, with thriving Downtown Cleveland and the Cleveland State University campus to the north and to the south, a predominately black neighborhood with concentrated public housing since the 1930's. The highway, built in the late 1950's  is a physical representation of the racial and cultural barriers in the city. 

Throughout this 5 month project people who work, live or go to school on either side of the bridge engage together through intentional conversations about race and racism while co-creating a mural illustrating our intention for a more  equal and integrated future. We will target a physical representation of the racial divide through installing the mural on walls of the East 22nd Bridge over the highway – one of the few links between Downtown Cleveland and the Cedar-Central Neighborhood. Once installed we will host a public celebration (you’re invited) to unveil how and why we chose to paint the city the colors of love!