Help Myrna Silva and Her Kids Save Their Home

Myrna Silva is a dedicated single mother from the East Los Angeles area who has been with InnerCity Struggle for three years. Myrna migrated from Guadalajara, Mexico, at a young age, and although she had little to no family in the States, her drive and determination allowed her to take a chance for a better life. Unfortunately, she and her kids were often displaced from their home by landlords whose main priority was to make a profit by increasing the rent within the span of a few months. Unfortunately, the pandemic took a considerable toll on her health. Like many others during this time, Myrna was not physically able to hold down a stable job and would often put herself in physical danger to continue working to make ends meet. Further, she was hospitalized and in a coma for almost six months, which made her situation that much more precarious. With no one to lean on, Myrna would find herself discharging herself from the hospital to pay her landlord the rent that was due, only to readmit herself right after she secured housing for her children for that month. Thankfully, she was able to survive her illness but was left with long-lasting effects for the next three years, which proved to be detrimental since she wasn't able to find a stable job.

There has been a cascade of issues that have made her housing situation precarious once again. Myrna has to fundraise about $5,000 to cover her rent for the past few months, otherwise, she and her children face eviction once again. As a single mother, she is leaning on her community to help her out to cover her rent debt while she looks for a stable job to have a steady income so her family has a home.

As a core member of InnerCity Struggle, she is an integral part of the organization. In her three years as a part of the organization, Myrna has taken leadership roles, assisted multiple actions, helped plan mobilizations, and has even given public comment numerous times, sharing her story with officials–which was one of her biggest accomplishments yet. Her drive to make housing justice a reality has reached many members of the community, which in turn brings on more people to join the struggle. Let's help make our compañera's goal achievable!