My name is Sareena Crawford, and I am a PhD student in History at UC Davis. Through my research, I met my Godmother, Marilyn I Hays, one of the remaining living descendants of one of the first Black settlers in Northern California. Miss Marilyn, who is 78 years old, faces eviction from her ancestral home.

Throughout her life, Marilyn has been a community organizer, activist, and educator. She now serves as a local historian and is a respected community elder.

At the beginning of her organizing efforts, Marilyn was an active community member, helping to organize food drives for Black children and underserved communities. Once she became a mother, she became an active member in community organizations and educational initiatives. She volunteered to work with women recently released from prison to help them find employment and reintegrate into society after incarceration. Marilyn was a board member of I Am Remnant Treatment Organization, a group that allows the Black community to address any issues they may have.

Marilyn is the founder of W.E. People, a community organization that serves the needs of Black children and families in Northern California. Marilyn also worked for the Sacramento S.T.A.R.T. Program in community organizing. She was an indispensable part of the Culture C.O.-O.P., which helps individuals and organizations working with equity and diversity in education, businesses, and the community. [Here is a podcast where Marilyn speaks about her experiences]

Miss Marilyn was born and raised in Woodland, California. She lives on Locust Street on a property first acquired in 1950 by her father, Ira Nicks. He promised to build his wife and children a home, and that’s precisely what he did. Although the house, which Ira built with family and friends, wasn’t completed until 1963, the family lived in the original home on the property until its demolition.

Once completed, it became one of the first Black houses on that side of the tracks. Locust Street would become a Black street in Woodland that defied segregation. Even after Ira’s passing, Marilyn’s mother, Amelia, made sure the house was always in the family, even when she lived in Oakland and Marilyn lived in the home. No one ever talked about selling the house. The home was always intended to remain in the family. However, after Amelia's death, the house had to be sold.

The future homeowner agreed to Marilyn living in the house until she died for $700 a month in rent and all of her utilities. Despite having no heating or cooling, Marilyn never spoke out and was happy to live in her home.

Then, in December 2022, the homeowner came to the house and told Marilyn that she needed to sell.

In the same year, Miss Marilyn suffered two aneurysms in her liver. She was misdiagnosed and placed on the wrong medication, which left her vulnerable and disoriented during a time when she most needed stability.

This is the only land Marilyn Hays has. Miss Marilyn has done and continues to do so much for the community; it would be a shame to lose her.

The funds here would be used for lawyers' fees, housing costs if she must relocate, or a down payment to keep her home.