About Me

Stephen Young is an enrolled Mountain Maidu member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria and the third great-grandson of Charley Brown, commonly known as Charlie Paiute, a respected Maidu fisherman and hunter. Inspired by the traditions of his ancestors, Stephen developed a deep passion for Maidu culture at the age of 16. By 18, he had begun studying the Mountain Maidu language and the traditional art of basket weaving.

His artistic journey was shaped through classes in beargrass weaving and jewelry making taught by acclaimed Indigenous artists, including Brandy McDaniels and Lorena Gorbet. In 2019, he attended a redbud processing and basket weaving workshop led by Susan Campbell, who later became his mentor in traditional weaving.

Stephen continues to create both coiled and twined basketry, drawing knowledge from every basket he weaves and from studying historic works created by earlier Maidu weavers. Through his work, he honors the plants, landscapes, and generations of weavers who preserved these traditions, while inspiring other California Tribal people to reconnect with and carry forward the ancient art of basketry.

In 2023, Stephen's work was featured in the exhibition Roles, Rules, and Responsibilities: Northern California Two-Spirit Weavers at Santa Rosa Junior College, where he exhibited alongside fellow weavers Silver Galleto and Jarred Lincoln.

Following the success of the exhibition, Stephen expanded his role as both an artist and educator. Beginning in 2024, he has taught and demonstrated traditional basket weaving and native plant gathering practices, while also offering online Mountain Maidu language classes to students across the United States. Through both his teaching and his artistry, Stephen is helping ensure that the language, knowledge, and weaving traditions of the Mountain Maidu people continue to thrive for future generations.