When dealing with foreclosure fraud, many families feel hopeless and alone. They feel even more deserted and on the margins of society when they become aware of fraud in their mortgage documents but don’t have anywhere to turn. With the housing market crash and bank bailouts, we witnessed one of the biggest sellouts of the people in our country's history; one by one, families nationwide have experienced what it means when your elected representatives don't consider you a member of the "too big to fail" club.

On the other side, people who aren't immediately impacted by foreclosure are mostly disinterested in the discussion. Because it doesn't concern their daily lives, they've turned their heads the other way, hoping that when they turn back we won’t be around to bother them with this heavy subject.

But somewhere between these two groups, another group is blooming – one that is refusing to remain silent, refusing to helplessly watch what is happening to families around the country, and to our country as a whole. From this group I have learned that our lives are interconnected, and that every single step, every decision, can change the outcome of not only our personal lives but the lives of those we don’t even know. I have learned that hope can never be destroyed, even in the midst of the biggest and darkest fights we’re facing.

The following is an interview with Maegan Donovan Nikolic and Carlos Marroquin, two people in California who lost their homes due to mortgage fraud and wrongful foreclosure – and who, in the aftermath, decided to stand up and demand justice. Their work is a great example of how all our communities should follow their lead, unite, and support each other.

Senka Huskic: Do you think that without experiencing your own foreclosure you would be this passionate and persistent about the fight today?

Maegan Donovan Nikolic: We lost our home on September 17, 2011 [the day that Occupy Wall Street began]. We were never a day late on our payment, with only two years and $26,000 remaining on our 20-year seller financed loan.

While trying to save my home, I lost my marriage, my perfect family. I joined the Occupy Fights Foreclosures group in January 2012. That is where I get my justice, because like millions of others the judicial system, government and the country as a whole has failed the people. I am very honest. I would not be a part of this fight today if I didn't experience it myself. I do not believe many people truly understand these issues until they are affected and even then, most truly do not understand.

Carlos Marroquin: My family is one of millions who have suffered from the mortgage and foreclosures crisis. Having lost everything I have worked for and having had my family personally affected by it, I decided to fight back. Personal experience makes a big difference. Understanding what it does to your family motivates me to fight for justice and changes. Most people never get involved in a cause until they have personally been touched by it.

SH: How has this fight changed you? How has this activism impacted your close relationships?

MDN: I don’t really see myself as an activist or an advocate. I can admit I don't know exactly what to consider myself, I'm just a person who lost everything on the false beliefs in our system. I have two boys, now 13 and six year old, and there is not a day that goes by that they do not say they want to go home. They are my reason for fighting. They give me the strength when I am exhausted. I believe we are at the point of this fight where we need to change the negative stereotypes the homeowners have been given – like deadbeats.

CM: Activism means getting involved to help bring changes. It means action, involvement, participation and collaboration. It means sacrifice. It's my opinion that social media plays a major key to our success. Without it, nobody would be talking about the foreclosure crisis anymore. Social media takes us places that otherwise we cannot go. It is a major problem for our opponent. Imagine that we had to wait for the mainstream media to publish our stories or events. We need to master social media, embrace it, love it and use it as much as possible. It keeps us connected and informed.

Activism has changed my life completely. For me it has become part of my life. I no longer do the things I used to do. I don't talk and think the way I used to think. It's what I think about all day long. Personally, it has become more of a responsibility towards humanity and my country. It is a mission. A Godly mission. Knowing what I know now, I cannot turn back. People depend on me. Activism has also had a negative impact on my relationships. Family and friends don't see what I see. They don't feel what I feel. My family suffered so much behind our own experience. It broke my family apart.

Through my activism I can now understand what the crisis does to a family. I'm able to help them better. There is nothing more fulfilling than when a family reaches out to me for help. I imagine my own family, and it motivates me to help them.

SH: Are people aware of the immensity of this fraud and how it impacts all layers of our society?

CM: No. Most people have no clue of what has happened and how much it has damaged our country. People have no idea how this crisis and massive fraud affects them and our future.

SH: What is your vision of the future of this foreclosure fraud battlefield, in regards to government actions or the lack thereof, and in organizing people, educating them, and uniting under one umbrella for our future?

MDN: Outreaching with some simplicity [about] this very complex scheme! The key is community organizing about the basics of this fraud and the strategic theft of our homes. With that being done, a solid support base will be built and communities can stand up for each other. It is important to recognize each other's strengths. We need to share that knowledge to build up a strategic plan that best fits our communities. I have seen it tried to be done on a mass scale, [and] it failed. Community organizing is the key – and when the time comes, for example, for a sheriff's lock-out, that homeowner will not stand alone.

I'm a non-violent, civil disobedience, direct action kind of gal, and I believe ultimately until people rise up in masses in these forms of actions, we will stay oppressed and it won't be long until we go through this again. Most all of us learn the hard way, which ultimately means you learn after you've lost your home or [court] case. I'll speak for myself when I say that I wouldn't change a damn thing in my life, especially my having to learn the hard way about fraudclosures. I am exhausted, three years is a long time doing this. My only hope for any kind of change is more people organizing.

CM: In order to look to the future we must have a good understanding of where we have been and where we stand. We must accept the fact that this cause is not an easy one. We are fighting the most powerful forces in the world. It is a long term struggle and one that requires many sacrifices. There are short term goals and long term goals. Personal education empowers us, it gives us the understanding about what needs to be done, and will point to us how to get it done. Educating others about what the causes of this fraud are, and how it affects our families and their futures, will help to motivate them. It will help us organize better.

We must learn to engage our representatives at every level of our government. The more we are engaged and the louder voices we have, the more likely they are to make better decisions.

SH: Could you tell us about the beginnings of Occupy Fights Foreclosures and where it is now?

CM:: Occupy Fights Foreclosures was founded during the beginning of the Occupy Wall Street movement in Los Angeles. Immediately upon learning of the gathering and encampment, I set up a tent and brought tables, chairs, a computer, and lots of literature. Prior to Occupy, I had been doing anti-foreclosure work but it was very hard to connect with people. The media was not covering the crisis as they should. All the blame was on homeowners.

Through the Occupy movement I was able to bring the foreclosure crisis to the front of the conversations. There were countless meetings, sleepless nights convincing other activists that this was a cause worth fighting for. We held meetings with other groups and connected with so many talented people. Occupy was in my opinion what brought foreclosures and the banks’ corruption to the level of attention it deserved.

I developed relationships of trust with other activists that took us into forming what we now recognize as OFF – Occupy Fights Foreclosures. Immediately after the encampment was closed, we created an action over [at] the county courthouse to stop a foreclosure auction. We held a press conference, and it was well attended by all the media. Our message was simple: “We are not going away.” We will strike at any given moment to expose the corruption on the foreclosure crisis.

We continue by having three weekly meetings. One is for Spanish speaking attendees. Keeping people together for a long time is hard, but we have managed to stay together and accomplish a lot. Together we have created home occupations and demonstrations at all levels, some very creative. Our next big call to action is on Friday, Oct. 31. We will present the “Ghosts of Wall Street” educational spectacle during the Hollywood Halloween Street Fair. Please visit Occupy Fights Foreclosures for more information:

SH: How do you connect with the communities?

CM:: We organize actions, forums and much more. We take every opportunity to speak at any event. My personal favorite is going to schools, from elementary to major universities, and talking to the kids. We are engaged at every political level – local, state and federal. We have met with government officials of all levels and participated in meetings and events. We have exposed political corruption, corporate corruption and professional corruption.

My personal highest is when we win back a home for a family. Through a lot of personal sacrifices, we are educating homeowners and turning them into defenders of their homes. My second personal highest experience as an activist was when we got information about the California Homeowner Bill of Rights. State Sen. Calderon was getting ready to reject the bill. We organized and visited him at his office. That changed his vote to a ‘yes’ vote, which affected the passing of the bill. It benefited millions of families in California. Other states have followed CA by implementing similar bills.

Participation is the key for our success and it is hard when I don't see the participation of people at some events. Imagine for a moment homeowners participating at every event or action. Things will be different. However, the lack of money or lack of participation cannot stop us. We have traveled too far to go back. Presently we are pushing for California to use $1.4 billion in unused funds available to struggling homeowners. Since we occupied one of their meetings last year things have changed [in] a better direction. Last month we had a meeting in Sacramento with the program director and presented our legislature proposals and ideas that have been welcomed and studied.

Through activism I have met bank officials at high levels of their executive offices. In 2012 we had a historic meeting with Wells Fargo executives in Los Angeles. We articulated our demands and concerns. They are constantly under the microscope. They have to work harder. I love when I make the call to announce to the banks that we will be having an action against them for X reason, and what they have to do to stop those actions from happening. We cannot give up, not now, not tomorrow, not until real changes come. Visibility is the most important part of promoting our group. We have to be out on the streets, out in the public eye, at civic engagements. It shows a powerhouse of people that are demanding change. We have to remain consistent no matter how many attend our meetings or actions. People are watching, people are talking, and we want to make sure they include our name in their conversations.

SH: Did you have exposure in any local media?

CM: I have contact with every level of media: national, international and local. During the early days of Occupy, I was appointed to talk with the media. I held daily interviews with reporters and was able to articulate the message of Occupy. Most importantly, I was able to connect everything back to the economic crisis that affected all levels of society. Foreclosures were always brought up during these discussions. People began to understand it and began to get involved. We must learn how to work with the media and how to approach them.

SH: What is your message to readers – where to go from here, how to follow the Occupy Fights Foreclosures lead, and unite our communities in this fight for rebuilding justice in our country?

CM: When I look back for a moment and see how far we already have traveled and how much we have accomplished, it motivates me to keep fighting because changes are possible. Without a vision there is no motivation and there will be no victories. We must be prepared to adjust for daily challenges. Education will prepare us to stay on top of these challenges. Government moves by those that pressure them. We see the influence the banks have on them.

MDN: I remember I had just lost possession of my home and moved into South Whittier. It was pouring rain and while I was at a stop light I watched two young boys hanging a banner that said Occupy Whittier Foreclosure Vigil.

I went, sat in my car, and watched for hours – it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I became an active member of OW and on Feb. 14, 2012, I went to my first OFF event, an auction where we successfully stopped a sale of a veteran's home. I was able to see the power of the people do the impossible and I then realized: no one can or should fight this alone.

I do active outreach daily. My personal favorite is at the courts. It is the most bittersweet place for us homeowners – it's the one place we expect justice yet it's the one place we never, but rarely, get justice. Lawyers here are either unaffordable or turn out to be scammers. I go to the courts often and speak to strangers but mostly just listen and help them realize that they are not the only ones going through this fraudulent process.

I also outreach through social media which again is bittersweet, but I believe one of our biggest tools for organizing and outreach. It is a great platform for individual homeowners to share their stories. Social media enables people to connect and grow as a fraudclosure fighting movement.

These are my three principles:

• Educate, both ourselves and others, so that we can keep spreading that knowledge and engage more people to better understand and utilize what they have learned.

• Empower, both myself and others, to have the strength to continue even when we feel defeated, exhausted and like giving up.

• Resist. I am a strong advocate for resistance by any non-violent direct actions means. I have experienced it over three years with OFF and it is the most effective way to bring these corporate thieves to the table to work with the homeowners. Carlos is my personal hero, he is like myself – we lost our homes, marriages and dreams, realistically knowing we will never get it back. Yet we are unstoppable. We have never let our own personal defeats fog our dedication to homeowners.

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