Marvina Haynes

Founder and Executive Director

My path to leadership started when I was young. I have always seen my family be committed to reaching out to other people in our community who also experience poverty. My family has always stood up when we would see something wrong. It has become my work, my career and my lifestyle. My mother and father grew up in an impoverished community in Saint Louis, Missouri. My grandparents picked cotton. My parents lived during the Segregation era and escaped to Minnesota in hopes of obtaining a better life. I inherited this desire to take care of other people as it was passed down through generations of people who were experiencing some of the worst trauma, but still found ways to provide and love.

On May 16, 2004, my little brother, Marvin, was taken from our home by the Minneapolis Police Department on a curfew violation charge when he was just 16. We weren’t able to get any other information until the police showed up at our house three days later with a search warrant, dogs, and the media. That is when my parents first learned the police were charging Marvin with first-degree murder. Everything changed for me and my family after that day. Marvin has proclaimed his innocence since the day he was taken into custody.

Ultimately, the thing that led me to this justice work is my family’s need for an advocate for my little brother and to prove his innocence for a crime he did not commit. Shortly after Marvin's life was viciously snatched away, the hardship of losing him caused my family to unravel, and our lives spiraled out of control. We wanted to fight for Marvin, but we were confused and taken advantage of by unethical lawyers and their fees. My parents lost everything. When you deal with so much pain, you can become numb to it. I use all my pain to keep fighting. I want to empower the people, my community, and also create change.

Since 2010, I have been actively engaged in fighting to correct the justice system and helping where I am needed in the community, focusing on youth and families of wrongfully incarcerated individuals, in particular. My vision is to help exonerate people who’ve been wrongfully incarcerated, while offering support to family and community members that have been impacted by the judicial system. My long-term goals are to bring awareness to judicial injustice, reform legislation and prevent wrongful and over-sentenced incarceration.