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Although she doesn’t have X-ray vision or the capacity to soar through the sky, Lisa Kollins, AB ’96, wields extraordinary abilities that allow her to uplift and disseminate kindness. As the founder and executive director of The Superhero Project, Kollins has assembled an international alliance of volunteer artists — over 750 to date — to illustrate children battling severe health challenges as superheroes.

The inception of The Superhero Project traces back to the summer of 2016, during Kollins’ tenure at a camp for children with HIV/AIDS. “The theme that summer centered around discovering their inner superhero, and I envisioned having artists craft posters portraying the campers as superheroes,” she recounts.

The artists were provided with photographs of the campers, narratives detailing how they envisioned making a difference in the world, and concepts for their heroic alter egos’ appearances. “The artworks truly encapsulated the resilience, vivacity, and essence of each camper,” Kollins notes. “It was a touching moment when the kids first beheld their images, and I knew I wanted to replicate that experience.”

She began to explore oncology and hematology wards at a local children’s hospital in Cleveland and realized that many children fighting life-threatening ailments were also coping with lifelong disabilities. “I recognized this as yet another group that would gain from being celebrated,” she states.

Kollins started searching for additional artists, interviewing children, and establishing an online identity for The Superhero Project. She began receiving requests from families and organizations beyond the hospital, then from outside Ohio, and subsequently from around the globe. A generous donor contributed a $50,000 grant to support her continued expansion, and The Superhero Project formally became a nonprofit in late 2020.

In need of dedicating more time to the initiative, Kollins resigned from her position in social justice and child studies at Case Western Reserve University to concentrate on The Superhero Project full-time. With the help of a grant, she brought on another full-time employee and has since added part-time staff. “Our efforts are driven by four fundamental values: imagination, inclusion, representation, and joy,” she explains.

Until recently, Kollins personally conducted nearly all the children’s interviews — totaling over 1,700 — and penned the character stories accompanying each poster. “I’m gradually assigning more to our interview team and group of creative writers, but I will never completely step away from conducting interviews,” she shares.

While all the families she has collaborated with possess remarkable stories, a few are particularly striking. One family had a son receiving treatment for an untreatable form of cancer. “I received a video of Ben witnessing his superhero for the first time, and witnessing that grand reveal was extraordinary,” Kollins reflects. “He pointed to the nasogastric (NG) tube on his character and exclaimed, ‘I have my energy tube that gives me the power to fly!’ That moment clarified for me the positive influence these images can have.”

Another unforgettable child was Harrison, who was also undergoing cancer treatment. “Harrison displayed his superhero poster on the wall of his hospital room, alongside posters of Spider-Man and Lego Batman,” Kollins recounts. “Observing how he physically placed himself in that heroic realm was impactful.”

What is the most amusing superpower she has encountered? “One boy dreamed of stopping villains by catapulting massive chocolate cakes into their faces so they couldn’t see where they were headed,” she shares.

To manage The Superhero Project, Kollins herself requires a range of superpowers, and she attributes her dual degrees in drama and interdisciplinary studies for aiding her success. “My WashU education equipped me to flourish in an interdisciplinary context and demonstrated how to harness visual assets to create an impact,” she states.

Kollins’ professional experiences in education, theater, bereavement counseling, social justice, and child studies also provided her with the resilience and motivation necessary to turn her superhero vision into a reality.

“The psychology faculty I collaborated with at Case Western Reserve University helped me recognize that The Superhero Project had the potential to be transformative and make a profound impact on children’s lives,” Kollins conveys. “Parents have reported that participation elevates self-esteem, nurtures resilience, fosters hope, and cultivates feelings of community and connection. Art is undeniably a vehicle for healing and empowerment.”

To engage with The Superhero Project, whether as a volunteer artist or as a family with a qualifying child eager to become a superhero, visit superheroprojectkids.org.

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