This Q&A is an installment of Houston Landing’s Who are HOU? series that aims to tell stories celebrating the melting pot of communities, cultures and experiences that define this city. From personal histories to challenges to everyday triumphs, each story is told in the words of the person being interviewed to capture their voices and the journeys that shape Houston’s identity.

Scot More spends his days advocating for the city’s most vulnerable population — Houston’s unhoused community. More’s own experience with homelessness informs his work at the Homeless Court for the Coalition for the Homeless, where he helps address legal challenges in a more understanding court .

Can you share your first experience with homelessness in your life?

I knew I was gay when I was in third grade, when I just fell in love with the boy next door. I didn’t know what that meant, but I was more attracted to him than anyone else. I got my first boyfriend and I was 18 and I came home from a date and my mom was up in her reading chair with the reading lamp on and I went, “Uh-oh, I’m in trouble.”

And she asked me, “Whose class ring are you wearing?” And I said, “Darren’s.” I thought she knew. I really thought she knew and I never thought she would go off. And she goes, “You have to leave.”

I had no place to go. I ended up staying with an acquaintance, really a stranger, I didn’t realize that he was a drug dealer. I wasn’t using drugs, but he ended up going to jail and I was kicked out of his apartment, so I was homeless again. I ended up couchsurfing until I found a permanent roommate. Back in 1981, I didn’t realize that that’s homelessness.

At Houston’s Homeless Court, where you work now, do you see similar stories from queer youth?

It still totally happens and it just blows my mind. I did not speak to my mother for over 20 years, but as my parents got older and when my dad found out, he was pissed because he accepted who I am.

He goes, “Scot, I don’t understand what it is to be gay,” and I just looked at him and I said, “I don’t understand what it is to be straight,” and we just bonded.

When it comes to coming out to the family (and facing homelessness) as a youth, it happens at all economic levels, all colors, all backgrounds. It doesn’t happen as much as it used to, but it still does.

Like many Houstonians, you didn’t grow up here, but built a home here. How did you find your way to Texas?

I moved from Michigan to Austin with my best friend because I fell in love with Austin. I ended up getting a job with Paul Mitchell and came to Texas and went to every JC Penny styling salon introducing the product. I got to learn Texas.

The gay community, when I moved there in ‘89, was very close knit, but then I was coming and visiting Montrose in Houston and I just loved the diversity here. In the gay community, when I became HIV positive, we became even closer, those of us who survived.

Much of HIV/AIDS history tells the story of coastal cities. What challenges did you face in Texas during the HIV epidemic?

I was in denial and I didn’t tell anybody because I was young. Once I came out with my status, I got even more love from the gay community. I know the only reason why I’m alive today is because I have never missed any of my medication, not once. Never, ever, ever.

Every Wednesday night (in Austin), we would have a potluck dinner in a church basement and there were hundreds of us and we would break out into focus groups. We got to know each other.

I had people tell me, “Scot, you should not be telling anybody about your HIV status,” because of the fear of losing my job, for fear of it being used against me, for fear of not getting an apartment. It happened a lot in dating. You didn’t want to disclose it back then because once they find out, it’s like, “Nope, don’t want to date you.” I can’t tell you how many times that happened to me.

Did any of the other fears of discrimination turn into reality?

I was fired from Starbucks and I felt like it was because I was discriminated against for my HIV status and my sexuality. I worked for them for eight years, and opened up 13 different stores for them. I was dedicated to that job and to have the rug pulled out from underneath me was devastating.

I called (Attorney) Mitchell Katine and he listened to me rant for about 10-15 minutes and he goes, “Scot, there’s nothing we can do. Texas is a right to work state,” and that reminded me that’s what people were trying to protect me from earlier.

But I don’t ever regret being totally out with my HIV status or my sexuality because it’s gotten me to where I am today where I can help a lot of people.

How did you get your start with the Homeless Coalition? 

When I became homeless the second time, I was living out of my car and then I found a program called Project Life Roads, which was through the AIDS Foundation of Houston.

It was a program specifically for people living with HIV. Your meals are free. You don’t have to pay rent. Just commit to the two years. It was a hard two years, but it saved my butt again. That’s how I found my job at the Coalition. I took an internship answering the telephones here for 20 hours a week for $4.25 an hour.

It was only supposed to be for six months, but then they extended it for another six months and then they didn’t want to let me go because I was starting a program and so I went on contract for eight years and then they took me on full time after that. I consider myself starting here in 2004, so 21 years ago.

Having gone to court as a defendant before, what is it like now to step into a courtroom?

I know both sides. I know what it’s like to be fearful. I know what it’s like to be profiled. I know what it’s like to suffer from legit mistakes that I made, but I also see the big picture. I see the big picture that most people are good and even systems are good, but sometimes it doesn’t work for a certain individual.

Those individuals who want to make a change and the system is not working or they don’t know what to do, those are the people that I will bend over backwards for.  Every other docket that I go to, I end up crying when they start crying. Even after 18 years, I still feel it.

What’s your favorite thing about Houston?

I travel a lot and when I go to a very specific white part of a country, I feel very uncomfortable, but when I get back to Houston, I just love the flavors, the color, the languages. We all mingle and we for the most part get along.

When I travel and people ask me, “Where are you from?” And I said, “I’m from Houston.” And you go, “Oh, Texas, we love Texas.” I said, “No, I’m from Houston. There’s a big difference between the two.”

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Fiza is an audience engagement producer at the Landing, where she works closely with the education team. She previously interned at the Washington Post on the multiplatform and audience desk, and has worked…