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Breakthrough Diamonds

 

Break Through Diamonds is a holistic empowerment initiative by The Mothership Institute of
Wombwellness designed to strengthen the social, emotional, and economic well-being of teen parents
and youth in Cincinnati. The project provides a structured pathway for personal growth, leadership, and 

belonging through mentorship, wellness education, financial literacy, childcare support, and creative self-
expression.

 

 

The name Break Through Diamonds symbolizes the transformation of pressure into brilliance—
reflecting how youth, especially teen parents, can turn adversity into strength when given the right
supports and community connections.

 

Program components will propose to youth:

 

• Peer Support Circles to promote social belonging and mental wellness.
• Life Skills & Leadership Workshops that build confidence, communication, and parenting capacity.
• Financial Literacy Training focused on budgeting, credit, and future planning.

• Childcare & Family Support to ensure youth can fully participate in programming.

 

 Key Partners
 

Together We Grow Childcare Center – provides quality, accessible childcare and early learning for

participants’ children during program hours, reducing a key barrier to engagement.

 

Bostics Education – leads curriculum design and educational strategy to ensure sessions are

developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive.
 

First Generation Leaders of America – Teen Financial Literacy Program – facilitates financial
education that equips participants with practical tools to manage resources, build credit, and envision
long-term stability.
 

These partners bring both technical expertise and lived commitment to uplifting youth and families
across Cincinnati.

Centering Youth in Design and Decision-Making

 

Break Through Diamonds is built on the principle of “nothing about us, without us.” Teen parents and
youth participants are involved from project design through evaluation. They will co-create the program’s
activities, help shape the curriculum through listening sessions and focus groups, and serve on a Youth
Advisory Circle that advises The Mothership Institute’s leadership team.

This approach ensures that the program reflects their voices, honors their lived experiences, and
evolves with their feedback. By empowering youth to lead and design the solutions that affect them,
Break Through Diamonds transforms participants from program recipients into community changemakers.
The Mothership Institute seeks to scale Break Through Diamonds by acquiring a permanent
community space, the Mothership Home, to serve as a hub for youth wellness, teen parent support, and
creative leadership.

This space will be co-designed and guided by youth leadership, ensuring that the environment reflects
their needs, aspirations, and cultural identities. Owning a dedicated facility will allow The Mothership to
provide consistent, safe, and culturally affirming programming, strengthening long-term impact and
sustainability.

 

Key Goals:
 

Foster Connection: Create peer groups and mentorship circles that promote belonging and positive
identity.

Support Mental Health: Teach emotional awareness, mindfulness, and coping tools to reduce isolation
and stress.

Empower Teen Parents: Provide parenting education, relationship support, and community resources
for stability and confidence.

Build Life and Financial Skills: Offer workshops in financial literacy, vocational development, and goal
setting.

Promote Health Equity: Integrate wellness, nutrition, and reproductive health education to address
disparities that affect youth of color and young families.

 

Potential Impact:

 

Break Through Diamonds will cultivate a generation of emotionally aware, connected, and purpose-
driven youth. Participants will experience stronger peer bonds, improved mental health, and a greater

sense of belonging. Teen parents will gain confidence and practical parenting tools, leading to more
stable family environments. Youth will engage in education and workforce training that support long-term
success. By blending prevention, wellness, and community connection, the project will reduce health and
social disparities while nurturing leaders who shine within their families and communities.

 

Break Through Diamonds could serve 250–300 youth annually, including 100 teen parents, through
mentorship, mental health support, parenting education, and skill-building programs.

 

 

Organizational Experience - Youth Engagement*

The Mothership Institute has 25 years of experience supporting youth and families through maternal
health education, mentorship, and leadership development. Our work with K.I.T.M.I.S. Dohn where we
trained and empowered teen mothers to become peer educators and birth doulas, demonstrating our
success in youth engagement and transformation.

 

Through Break Through Diamonds, we will extend this model to both teen mothers and fathers, ages 12–20. Youth will play an active role in shaping the
program—serving on a Youth Advisory Council, co-designing workshops, and leading community projects
that reflect their lived experiences. By involving them as creators rather than just participants, we ensure that activities, supports, and spaces are culturally relevant, empowering, and responsive to real needs.

 

This approach builds ownership, confidence, and leadership among young people navigating parenthood
and life’s challenges.

The Mothership Institute applies a health equity lens by centering the lived experiences of youth most
affected by systemic barriers. Through our successful work with teen mothers at K.I.T.M.I.S., we’ve seen
firsthand how culturally responsive support transforms lives. Break Through Diamonds builds on that
experience, addressing the unique needs of teen moms and dads through mentorship, emotional
wellness, and parenting education.

 

Our proposed program director—a licensed school counselor and
certified birth doula—brings both cultural competancy and trauma informed care to guide youth toward a
healthier sense of stability. The program integrates trauma-informed mental health care, financial literacy,
and vocational pathways to address the social drivers of health. By co-creating solutions with youth, we
promote belonging, resilience, and long-term success for teen parents striving to thrive against the odds.