Your Story Has a Place: Mental Map
What if healing had a geography?
What if the places we’ve been—street corners, living rooms, parks, museums, classrooms—held pieces of our stories? Not just where we were, but who we were becoming.
We invite you to share your voice in an interactive Mental Map: A Community Mental Health Project, presented by Cleveland Health and Wellness Center and Literary Cleveland.
A Map Made of Stories
The Mental Map is a living, evolving digital experience that brings together stories of resilience, healing, and hope from across our Northeast Ohio community. Through writing, music, and visual art, contributors will help create an interactive map where each piece is anchored to a meaningful place.
This isn’t just a collection of creative work—it’s a shared landscape of human experience.
A map of courage.
A map of connection.
A map of what it means to keep going.
We Invite You to Share Your Voice
We are seeking original submissions that respond to questions like:
What has given you hope in your mental health journey?
What does healing look like to you?
Who or what has helped you keep going?
Where have you experienced connection, insight, or support?
What You Can Submit
We welcome a wide range of creative expressions, including:
Poetry, essays, and short reflections (500 word limit)
Music (songs or instrumental pieces) (3 minute limit)
Visual art (painting, photography, digital, mixed media)
Submissions are open to adults (18+) who live in—or have a connection to—Northeast Ohio. There is no cost to participate, and creators retain full ownership of their work.
Why This Matters
Too often, mental health experiences remain invisible—carried quietly, without acknowledgment or witness.
The Mental Map exists to change that.
By sharing lived experiences, this project aims to:
Reduce stigma
Foster connection between neighbors and generations
Uplift voices that deserve to be heard
Create a collective archive of resilience and hope
Each submission becomes part of something larger: a reminder that none of us are alone in the terrain we navigate.