URBANA — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In celebration, the nonprofit Courage Connection will host its annual community event, Courage on the Block, honoring survivors of domestic violence.
The event will be held at The Yard on Broadway in Urbana on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Matthew Fletcher, director of development and outreach at Courage Connection, says these events are imperative for addressing the issue of domestic violence.
“[It’s] our opportunity to remove so many of the harmful stigmas that are attached to domestic violence,” Fletcher said.
Two portraits from the “Through Purple Eyes” project, by Emily Donohoe, will be unveiled at the event.
Donohoe is a portrait photographer and mixed media artist based in Mahomet. Her new series features portraits of domestic abuse survivors, who’ve shared their stories with Donohoe.
She says she created the scenes for the photos based on what survivors shared.
“We are focusing not on the abuse side but on the journey,” Donohoe said. “So they aren’t dark photos, but they are meant to represent key points, key things that happened to each of the people that are in their photo.”
Since February, Donohoe has photographed 20 survivors, creating costumes for each of them, and building individual sets ranging from a jail cell to a swing set and even a gratitude wall.
“Sometimes I think it’s easier to look at a picture and have the picture tell the story, that’s kind of what I specialize in,” she said. “I want people to be seen, I want them to feel understood and I want them to be remembered.”
Donohoe, along with the Deputy Chief of the Urbana Police Department, the city manager of Champaign and a local survivor Lupita Flores will speak at Saturday’s event.
Fletcher says Flores is adamant about sharing her story.
“She wants to ensure that if it’s possible by sharing her story that one other person who is currently experiencing domestic violence, recognizes first and foremost, hey, this is abuse. And second, there are places and people that can help,” Fletcher said.
“If she can accomplish that with one person, any sort of difficulty that she has recounting those difficult experiences, she says it’s worth it.”
The event will include live music, a complimentary meal for all attendees, a children’s play area and a free community raffle with prizes including Chicago Bears tickets, Illini men’s basketball tickets and several others.
Throughout the month of October, there will be several other events hosted by Courage Connection in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.