Maurice Young described himself as “homeless by design.”
After a divorce in 2011, Young decided to stay in a shelter for a while to do some self-reflection. That experience marked a turning point in his life, and from that day on Young worked as an advocate for the homeless community.
Young died Jan. 30. He was 53.
In his 2015 TED Talk, Young described feeling troubled by the treatment of those seeking shelter, and he helped them find resources and apply for jobs. Doing this work, Young said, was his calling.
“A quote that resonates with me is from the writer Mark Twain: ‘The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you know why,’” Young said during his presentation. “When I moved myself to that shelter, I was allowing myself to be planted … by putting the needs of others before myself, I became grounded and rooted in something wonderful.”
Sometime in 2011, Young oversaw the Irish Hill encampment at Davidson and Maryland streets, where he was affectionately referred to as “The Mayor.” The camp was dismantled by the city in 2013, and Young was one of five people arrested for obstructing justice. Young refused to leave, wanting to make sure those staying in the camp had a place to go. The charge was eventually dropped
Kim Boyd, founder of Helping Others Prosper Economically (HOPE) Team, met Young shortly after the encampment closed. She asked Young to speak at a HOPE Team monthly meeting and was moved by his work to change the perception of homelessness.
“He was the last soldier to stand there at the camp to try and ensure that everybody that was affected by that closing had someplace else to go,” Boyd said. “He was truly the mayor of the homeless and a tireless advocate till the very end for his homeless brothers and sisters.”
Through his work at the encampment, Young met Sandy Jeffers, director of Pathway to Recovery, a nonprofit helping people struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues find housing. When she visited the encampment, Jeffers said what she saw was different than the negative portrayal she saw in the media.
“I saw Maurice doing a professional orientation with a Caucasian woman who had just been dropped off and it was her first time experiencing homelessness,” Jeffers said. “He had this white board showing her this is when the meals are and what ministries showed up on what day and was explaining everything about living there. … He was handling this with more compassion and professionalism that what I’ve seen in agencies, and I was taken aback by the respect and how he was interacting with people.”
Jeffers worked with Young on several projects through the years, including an annual presentation for nursing students at Marian University. Jeffers’ part of the presentation focused on substance abuse disorder, while Young’s portion discussed the causes of homelessness and how the community can care for their neighbors in need. What struck Jeffers the most about Young, she said, was his tendency to put others before himself.
“We loved Maurice and want to honor his legacy,” Jeffers said. “Maurice was just a gentle giant, people loved him.”
Young could often be found at IUPUI University Library — where he created the monthly newsletter “The Voice,” which amplified the voices of homeless community members and shared information on resources including shelters and food pantries. He also spent time at Indianapolis Public Library’s Central branch throughout the week, passing out sack lunches and helping people sign up for health care.
Tom Probasco, a former employee of Central library, said it’s impossible to know how many people Young helped at the library. Whenever he saw Young, he was always surrounded by people.
“I remember one time, he told me that some people just need someone to talk to,” Probasco said. “They were comfortable with him. … He just exuded warmth. I don’t know how else to say it. He was somebody that I really admired, and I just really miss him and am sorry to hear he’s gone.”
Don Reed, who has done advocacy work with groups such as Freedom Indiana and Faith in Indiana, met Young through Jeffers. In the five years he knew him, Reed said Young’s work was unique because he could advocate for people effectively since he had firsthand experience with what they were going through.
“That was his gift. That’s why he chose to remain homeless,” Reed said. “He thought that he could help them by being where they’re at. … He was very kind and very gentle, and he was willing to give anything he had to help people. I knew him on a very personal level, and his laugh and smile were infectious. He was a great human being, and I can’t explain how much I loved him.”
Following Young’s death, Reed is concerned about what homelessness advocacy in Indianapolis will look like. Nobody, he said, has the expertise and sincerity that Young exhibited.
Jeffers said people can continue Young’s work by following the principles he did and continuing to fight for what Young advocated for, namely: a legal, lit, safe place for people to sleep.
“That’s all he wanted,” Jeffers said. “He wanted to stop the criminalization of homelessness. It isn’t a crime to be homeless, and you can’t just arrest someone or clear out a tent city with no notice and no alternative housing. … Maurice was in front of the line trying to bring change, and we have to continue that work.”
At the end of his TED Talk presentation, Young answered a question he often got from people: will you ever go back to a “normal” life?
“My mind has been renewed. I see things differently,” Young said. “… I cannot go back … why I do what I do … is because that’s who I am, and I would like to thank all the people that allow me to come into their lives and help them and be me.”
Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.
