Maurice Jamal was born on a cold winter day in Madison, Wisconsin, when he was born to adoring parents Maurice Angus Lee and Mary Kathryn Elliott Lee. Maurice’s values were strongly influenced in his early childhood from his family roots in Muskogee, Oklahoma and Lexington, Kentucky.

 

Believe it or not, Maurice was actually a quiet baby and child. He was an avid reader at a young age, even reading his preschool teacher’s mail or anything he could get his hands on. Maurice loved to explore, whether the characters in books on clowns and superheroes, the ways of insects in the dirt, or how the universe works. Maurice loved to draw, but it was around 5th grade when Maurice discovered the art of speaking. Like his favorite characters in Star Trek and Star Wars, Maurice was born to pioneer and pave untraditional passageways. He began creating his own comic book characters and stories of Black superheroes. Equipped with the magic and power of his own voice, and an inventive mind, Maurice began a decades-long life journey of creative and political expression.

 

Maurice’s brilliance was the way he championed the rights of people who found themselves on the margins of community and family; people like himself who struggle to find their own sense of self-acceptance and self-love. Maurice adopted family members along his life journey and now is beloved by an eclectic, diverse and beautiful community of people who love and celebrate him.

 

Maurice had an intimate way of connecting with others because he could see people not only for who they chose to show up as, but for all of the potential and possibility he recognized deep within their souls. Maurice was a soul whisperer, with a deeply resonant and infectious voice, sharing stories and jokes that could have you literally falling down on the ground in stitches. Maurice’s antics and fun loving spirit was infectious, inspiring those around him to juice all the joy out of living.

 

Maurice had a gift of infusing his humor and his realness into every creative endeavor. Beginning in the Bay Area, with drama productions at St. Paul A.M.E. Church and with the African-American Shakespeare Company, Maurice first became known for his poetry, co-creating Deep Soul Poets and shedding light on the Black Gay experience through his brash brand of humor. After time at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA and San Francisco State University, Maurice pursued opportunities in television, film and entertainment that led him to New York, Atlanta, GA and Los Angeles, CA.

 

Maurice’s first break was on the feature film Spider Man and in a short period he developed a lengthy, impressive list of credits. Most notably, Maurice appeared on the Comedy Central smash hit, Chappelle’s Show, both in front and behind the camera. Maurice’s determination bolstered his career as an actor-writer-producer-director. Maurice was a trailblazing pioneer who created pathways for other emerging Black LGBT artists across the country. This work culminated in three notable films- Ski Trip (2004), Dirty Laundry (2006), and Friends and Lovers (The Ski Trip 2, 2008).

 

For Maurice, moving beyond the traditional entertainment and TV avenues was essential. He created his own distribution platform: an ambitious web and cable network called GLO TV, aimed at urban LGBT audiences. The focus was to produce digital in-house reality shows documenting the lives of transgender individuals, lesbians and people of all types living with HIV. GLO’s series included Living Life and later Girl Power, a reality search show which followed lesbian films and filmmakers across the U.S. Maurice said, “I want GLO to be a place that's truly for all the LGBT community… In communities of color, we rarely see these images. Or hear these stories. And we need to. That's how we affect change, by breaking down the barriers…it’s a network for us. For me it was so important to tell those stories and let our light shine.”

 

Maurice was known for supporting Black LGBT artists, especially those who struggled to find support for their voice, their perspective, their passion and their purpose. Beyond his professional life, Maurice was a true mentor and friend who extended his love and compassion in ways that allowed those he mentored to be and feel heard, honored and held.

 

Maurice was a humble person, despite the accolades and acclaim that came his way, even back to his days at Berkeley High School where he served as Co-Class President from his sophomore through senior year. He was a prolific writer and speaker who could mesmerize an audience of one, or an audience of thousands. Maurice unapologetically showed up as his full authentic self with family and friends and along every step of his career. For Maurice, a true measure of success was whether or not he could ask, “How well are you taking care of yourself?” and the degree to which you could honestly tell him so, and how he could support you. For Maurice, it was about establishing a real connection that allowed you to have courageous conversations.

 

Maurice loved his blood and kindred family with fierce passion. Whether caring for his sisters, cousins and beloved friends through tragedy or health declines, giving advice to his niece, or cooking brunch for his Mom every Sunday and accompanying her to music events, Maurice took pride in focusing on the family’s well-being in his later years. Together, Maurice and his mom shared an unconditional love that was unbreakable.

 

On behalf of History of Black Gay America, and as of us in the Black LGBTQ & Same Gender Loving Community who was inspired and impacted by his gift, we speak the name of our most recent ancestor, MAURICE JAMAAL!  THANK YOU For Everything you've done for us and for paving the way for new queer & trans filmmakers of color.  Your Legacy will NEVER Be Forgotten. We Love you.