Capstone Clash is back for year four!
Capstone Clash is NLC’s annual Instagram showdown where alumni compete for funding to power their capstone projects. Fellowship project or new passion initiative. Both qualify. Rally your network through three rounds of voting. Win $500. Runner-up takes $250.
Meet our 2026 Capstone Clash participants.
Instagram Voting Schedule:
Round 1:
Voting Period: March 18, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET – March 20, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET
Top 4 capstones with the most votes (comments) advance to Round 2.
Round 2:
Voting Period: March 25, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET – March 27, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET
Top 2 capstones with the most votes (comments) advance to Round 3.
Instagram Live Event:
March 31, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET – 8:30 PM ET
The final 2 capstones will be interviewed about their projects on Instagram Live.
Round 3 – The Final Showdown:
Voting Period: April 1, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET – April 3, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET
Grand Prize: The capstone with the most votes (comments) wins $500.
Runner-up Prize: Second place receives $250.
Final Match
Lem Cartman – Detroit–Chicago Youth Leadership Collaborative
He/Him
Detroit 2025
The Detroit–Chicago Youth Leadership Collaborative connects young leaders from both cities to collaborate on solutions to shared challenges like violence prevention, workforce access, and civic engagement. Led through WE (With Everyone), the initiative builds cross-city community impact.
Manuel Juarez – Farming For Me
He/Him
South TX Frontera 2025
Farming For Me is an online education platform teaching people how to build food security by producing their own food. My first course, The Beginner’s Blueprint to Backyard Eggs, shows beginners how to raise backyard chickens and harvest fresh eggs—even in urban neighborhoods—in just minutes a day.
Fearless Four
Becky Beaver – The Monthly Need
She/Her
New York City 2025
The Monthly Need is a program that addresses the challenges women living in extreme poverty and homelessness face in accessing menstrual products. Our mission is to help women maintain their dignity while having a safe and sanitary period.
Christopher Curtis – Detroit Brick By Brick
He/Him
Detroit 2025
Detroit Brick by Brick is an architectural journalism platform. Detroit is a historical city with beautiful architecture with a deep history. The goal is to educate the community on the buildings they walk past. Focusing on highlighting the past architecture and what new developments are coming.
Terrific Ten
Tatyana Denson – A Case for Grace and Goodness
She/Her
Tulsa 2025
The Grace & Goodness project, is about building community by honoring neurodiversity in Black women and girls. The goal is to create a sense of confidence in self-perseverance and self-preservation while growing social and cultural education, empathy and equity for executive function.
Amy Turner – Wiggle Room (formerly Collaborative Movement)
She/Her
Kentucky 2025
Wiggle Room (formerly Collaborative Movement) creates a welcoming space for people, especially those excluded from traditional fitness culture, to explore movement with curiosity. It focuses on joy, community, and rebuilding a compassionate relationship with the body, rather than changing it.
Aneysha Bhat – Powering Affordable, Accessible Travel Using AI
She/Her
Washington D.C. 2025
Travel today feels like a luxury. Nearly 30% of Americans cannot afford travel, and 7 out of 10 Americans cite cost of travel and cost of living as reasons that prohibit them from doing so. I started YaatraAI to create accessible, affordable escapes for everyone and promote cultural exchange.
Charles Ashley – A call for clarity; why is enough not enough?
He/Him
Detroit 2025
The Man Law empowers men 25–55 in leadership and creative roles to balance demanding careers with family life. Born from my capstone project, our community has hosted monthly meetings since January 2026, offering emotional support and resilience for those who lead at work and home.
Rich Tenor – Firstgig AKA Community connect App
Atlanta 2025
FirstGig connects teens ages 12–17 with paid neighborhood jobs like lawn care, pet sitting, grocery delivery, and tech help for seniors. The parent-controlled platform requires approvals, verified residents, face-to-face introductions, escrow payments, and ratings to ensure safe local work.
Isis Pettway – Bridging Aspirations: Inspiring and Developing Future Mental Health Leaders
She/Her
Arkansas 2025
This program will provide early, structured exposure to mental health careers, coupled with sustained mentorship, to address the glaring mismatch in Arkansas between the demand for mental health care and the capacity of its workforce.