Kiyoshi Kuromiya

Kiyoshi Kuromiya (May 9, 1943 – October 5, 2007) was a Japanese-American activist who became one of the most influential figures in the AIDS crisis response and LGBTQ+ rights movement. Born in Wyoming during Japanese-American internment, Kuromiya's early activism focused on civil rights and anti-war movements. He relocated to Philadelphia where he co-founded ACT UP Philadelphia in 1987, which became one of the most visible and effective AIDS activist organizations in the country. ACT UP Philadelphia's confrontational protest tactics and demand for governmental and pharmaceutical industry accountability transformed AIDS activism and public health policy. Kuromiya was deeply committed to intersectional activism, consistently highlighting how the AIDS crisis disproportionately affected communities of color and marginalized populations. His tireless advocacy, despite his own battle with HIV, inspired generations of activists. Kuromiya's legacy encompasses his foundational work in direct action protest, his commitment to treating activism as a form of love and care, and his insistence on centering the voices and experiences of those most affected by systemic injustice.