I have known Maurine Starkey—Mo to her friends—since 1992. Over the years, we worked together at Strategic Simulations, later again at Electronic Arts, and again at Olde Skuul. I have watched Mo’s talent, dedication, and grit up close for decades. Mo is a gifted computer game artist and illustrator, one of those rare creatives who never really stops making things. Pen, paintbrush, mouse—whatever the tool, she keeps creating. That is just who she is. Mo also won the Best Fan Artist Hugo Award in 2011, a well-earned recognition of the imagination, skill, and heart she has brought to her work for years. And now she needs help.

For the past year, Mo stepped away from her own life to move in with Rebecca Heineman to work on Olde Skuul and instead ended up as a full-time caregiver for Becky as she battled cancer. She gave her time, energy, and heart to caring for someone she loved. Recently, that battle came to an end. While grieving the loss of her dear friend, Mo has also been hit with a second devastating blow: because her housing was tied to the person she was caring for, she has now lost her home. That is the hard truth of it. Mo is facing displacement at a moment when she should be allowed to mourn, breathe, and figure out her next steps with some dignity.

Mo is 70-something, close to the age where most people would be retiring—or at least slowing down—but she does not really know how to stop creating. She is still working, still making art, still showing up. But right now, talent and determination are not enough to solve an immediate housing crisis. We are asking for help to give Mo a real safety net and a stable place to land. Funds raised will go toward safe, immediate housing, moving and storage costs for her artwork and personal belongings, and basic living expenses while she gets back on stable ground. If you know the game art, digital art, or fan art communities, you know people like Mo helped build the creative worlds so many others now work and thrive in. She has spent a lifetime making beauty and giving care. Now it is our turn to show up for her.

Please donate if you can. And if you cannot donate, sharing this fundraiser widely would mean a great deal. Post it to LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Discord, and anywhere the creative community gathers. Let’s help Mo find her footing again. Thank you for your generosity, your signal boost, and your kindness.