'ONE MAN ARMY' FIGHTS FOR FELLOW HOMELESS
BY BEN TAYLOR
STAFF WRITER

David "Toby" Meyers, who has been homeless for 12 years, is working with the Associated Students to attain more benefits for homeless students. ANNABELLE DAY / GUARDSMAN

Early in the morning, it’s mostly empty in the Student Union’s lounge aside from a few students scattered around, lazing in the easy chairs. In the corner, David “Toby” Meyers sits at a long drafting table listening to rock radio on his PlayStation Personal. Toby can be found here on most weekday mornings because it’s better to be on campus early than run the risk of being shaken awake by the police for sleeping in the park.

Toby, 29, has been homeless for 12 years. He is one of about 60 homeless City College students.

Wearing army surplus pants and boots, a ball cap covering his long hair and a loose-fitting, short-sleeve shirt exposing an ample amount of chest hair, Toby has the last minute, thrown together look of The Dude from the movie “The Big Lebowski.” But where The Dude might let things just take their course, Toby is active in making the changes he wants to see.

As a main organizer for the “Camp for Beds” event, which will be held Nov. 14 on campus, he hopes to raise awareness about student homelessness. The idea is to get more help for homeless people who are trying to help themselves but don’t qualify for programs like Care Not Cash.

“We’re asking for showers, clean sleeping areas, storage and laundry facilities for students and employed people,” Toby said. “We’re not all junkies and thieves.”

Toby grew up in Sulphur, La. At 17, he ran away to escape his abusive father, an ex-Green Beret who beat Toby’s mother and once sent Toby to school with a broken nose for not sharing his report card. When he got a new bicycle for his birthday, Toby saw his chance to escape.

“I just took off on that bike, and I was missing for about two months,” he said.

He hitchhiked to California and joined the California Conservation Corps.

“I wanted to be around people who wouldn’t judge me so I could improve,” he said.

Living in the redwoods of Humboldt County, Toby decided that he wanted to get an education when he was 24.

After one trying semester at College of the Redwoods followed by two semesters at De Anza College – where he was discriminated against – Toby learned about City College’s resources for homeless students.

“They don’t set up barriers for people going to school, and that’s why I came here,” he said.

In his three semesters at City College, Toby has helped 17 other homeless or at-risk people enroll.

Toby is the president of the Pagan Club; the chief executive officer of the California Student Housing Co-op; and Web co-coordinator for the Associated Students. Currently, he’s applying to be an AS senator.

“He’s really persistent,” AS President Claudia Li said. “He doesn’t give up and he has a lot of energy. The [Camp for Beds] project has really just been me and him and ‘Diamond’ Dave Whitaker.”

Majoring in computer networking and information technology, Toby plans to receive an associate degree from City College before transferring to a four-year school for a bachelor’s degree. After that, his sights are set on law school. AS member Whitaker has even coined him a nickname: “The one man army.”

“After I get my bachelor’s degree, I want to work for a nonprofit or legal agency,” he said. “I want to be a civil rights and homelessness-activist lawyer.”

For now, however, he wants to stay at City College for as long as possible.

“There are all these liberal people here who are just like me,” he said with a laugh.

 

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