I’m reaching out on behalf of my student, Vincynthia, a young woman who embodies strength, warmth, and a selfless drive to make a difference in the world. Anyone who meets Vincynthia can feel her servant heart, boundless dreams, and determination to create positive change in her community. However, she is now facing an incredibly challenging time.

Rather than have Vincynthia be re-traumatized over and over again every time she needs to tell all the people who care for her the details of the terrible events, I wrote this summary as a way to inform everyone what transpired. Please read prayerfully.

Five years ago, Vincynthia’s family experienced a tragedy that forever altered their lives. What began as a disagreement between relatives escalated into an unforeseen and tragic event. Vincynthia’s family had hoped to help mediate the situation, as their mother was often the one to act as a peacemaker. However, things took a turn for the worse, and a young life was lost.

In the aftermath, Vincynthia’s family found themselves accused of being responsible for the tragedy. Despite a lack of evidence supporting their guilt, the family endured a prolonged and difficult legal battle. The uncertainty and stress took a toll, and after several years of delays and setbacks, Vincynthia’s mother and sister made the heart-wrenching decision to accept a plea deal.

Now, with her mother and sister facing prison sentences, Vincynthia is left with the overwhelming responsibility of caring for her 14-year-old brother, her 10-year-old sister, and her father, who suffered a debilitating stroke last year.

Throughout all this, Vincynthia has shown remarkable resilience. She completed high school (Gwendolyn Brooks) with excellence, attended Augustana College, served on missions with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), and this past summer interned with Leahy-IFP. Currently, she continues her education online at Black Hawk College while preparing to take on the role of primary caregiver for her siblings and father.

Vincynthia needs the support of her community now more than ever. This GoFundMe is an invitation for everyone who knows her, loves her, and believes in her potential to rally around her during this time. Your support will help Vincynthia cover essentials such as rent, groceries, and other basic needs for her family as they navigate this “new normal.”

Vincynthia has already impacted countless lives, giving back to children in Englewood through multiple self initiated service projects (often with the help of her mother), bridging the gap between the police and community, and serving with CEF. Now, we have the chance to give back to her.

This is a temporary chapter, and I have no doubt brighter days are ahead. But for now, let’s surround Vincynthia with love and help her through this difficult time. Any support you can provide—whether it’s financial, emotional, or through prayer—will mean the world to her.

Thank you for standing with Vincynthia and her family.