As Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month End, Englewood Family Scarred by Both Holds Vigil on a Street in the Neighborhood They Have Called Home for More Than 50 Years




As Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month End, Englewood Family Scarred by Both Holds Vigil on a Street in the Neighborhood They Have Called Home for More Than 50 Years

Fletcher/Heard Family to Gather at 5 p.m. to Honor LaVonne Fletcher, Celebrate Breast Cancer Survivors, and Raise Awareness About Domestic Violence, Gun Violence, and Breast Cancer

CHICAGO – As National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month come to a close, members of the Fletcher/Heard family, neighbors, survivors, faith leaders, and community advocates will gather at 5 p.m. Friday, October 30, 2026, at 5740 S. Peoria Street in Englewood, on a street in the neighborhood they have called home for more than 50 years, to honor loved ones, support survivors, and bring attention to issues that continue to impact families throughout Chicago.

The vigil will be held at the location where LaVonne Fletcher was killed by her boyfriend 31 years ago in an act of domestic violence. Her death devastated the family and left behind two young sons, ages 1 and 2. One of those sons, Emmanuel Warner, will attend the vigil and remembrance ceremony honoring his mother's life and legacy.

The tragedy did not end there. Years later, LaVonne Fletcher's second son was killed by gun violence, underscoring the devastating and often generational impact violence has on families and communities already struggling with trauma and loss.

Family members and supporters will line portions of South Peoria Street with purple ribbons, offer prayers, light candles, and distribute information about domestic violence prevention, victim services, and resources available to residents. The observance is intended to honor victims, support survivors, and encourage those experiencing abuse to seek help.

The event will also recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month through a community outreach effort promoting prevention, early detection, and screening resources. The cause is deeply personal for the Fletcher/Heard family. The family matriarch is a 45-year breast cancer survivor, while another sister is a 15-year breast cancer survivor. In their honor, pink ribbons will be displayed throughout the area and information about breast cancer screenings will be distributed to residents. Information about the survivors was provided by event organizers.

For the Fletcher/Heard family, the vigil is about more than remembering the past. It is about transforming grief into awareness, education, and action for future generations.

"Our family has lived through the pain of domestic violence, gun violence, and breast cancer," said Shenina Fletcher, owner of Fletcher Tiny Tots Home Daycare, healthcare professional, businesswoman, and lifelong Englewood resident. "For us, these are not awareness campaigns. They are real experiences that have forever changed our family. We lost my sister, LaVonne Fletcher, to domestic violence. We later lost one of her sons to gun violence. At the same time, we have been blessed to witness the strength, faith, and courage of breast cancer survivors within our own family. We are gathering on a street filled with both painful memories and cherished family history to honor those we lost, celebrate those who survived, and encourage our neighbors to get screened, seek help, and never suffer in silence. If sharing our story helps save one life, encourages one woman to get a mammogram, or helps one victim escape abuse, then this vigil will have served its purpose."

Shenina Fletcher and her family have deep roots in Englewood spanning more than five decades. Through community service, childcare, health awareness efforts, youth outreach, and neighborhood advocacy, the family has remained committed to investing in the community despite experiencing personal tragedy and hardship.

Organizers say the vigil serves as a reminder that many families continue to suffer from the effects of domestic violence, gun violence, cancer, and untreated trauma, and that greater awareness, prevention efforts, support services, and healthcare access remain critically important.

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