Day 17. Kiyoshi Kuromiya Queer Asian American Activism.

From Incarceration to Liberation

Born in 1943 in a Japanese American incarceration camp at Heart Mountain, Wyoming, Kiyoshi Kuromiya came into the world amidst the injustice of Executive Order 9066, which forced over 120,000 Japanese Americans into camps during World War II. This early experience of state violence shaped his unyielding commitment to civil rights.

In the 1960s, Kuromiya became deeply involved in the Black Freedom Movement, working closely with Dr Martin Luther King Jr as a field organizer with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and marching in Selma. His belief in the interconnectedness of all struggles for justice set the foundation for his life’s work.

Queer, Proud, and Unapologetic

As an openly gay man at a time when coming out could mean the loss of jobs, homes, and safety, Kuromiya was a vital figure in the early gay liberation movement. He founded the Philadelphia branch of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and later became a fierce advocate in the fight against the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Kuromiya was a key figure in ACT UP Philadelphia (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), where he combined grassroots activism with public health education. His Critical Path Project provided vital information about HIV/AIDS treatments at a time when misinformation and stigma were rampant. He believed in radical access to information as a form of survival and liberation.

“Information is power — and in the age of AIDS, it’s a matter of life and death.”

— Kiyoshi Kuromiya

A Voice for Interconnected Justice

Kuromiya’s activism crossed every line society tried to draw — organizing for peace, against war, for racial justice, queer liberation, and health equity. His advocacy made visible the intersections of Asian American, LGBTQ+, and civil rights histories — breaking down silences and building bridges between communities.

Learn More & Reflect

🎥 Documented Lives: Kiyoshi Kuromiya (short film)
📚 The Critical Path AIDS Project Archive
📖 We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation, by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown
📖 Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People, by Helen Zia

Why His Story Matters

Kiyoshi Kuromiya’s life is a testament to solidarity beyond borders, to the necessity of connecting movements, and to the courage of living one’s full truth in the face of oppression. His activism carved a space for queer Asian Americans in both LGBTQ+ and civil rights history, and his work during the AIDS crisis saved countless lives.

Kuromiya reminds us that to fight for justice in one place means fighting for it everywhere.

Honor Kiyoshi Kuromiya’s Legacy

Let’s uplift this trailblazer today and carry forward his radical, loving, and inclusive vision.

Hashtags: #31DaysOfAPIHeritage #KiyoshiKuromiya #QueerAsianHistory #LGBTQAPIAActivism #HIVAIDSHeroes #AsianAmericanLiberation #IntersectionalJustice #AAPIQueerVoices #ACTUP #CriticalPath

Asian and Pacific Islander heritage is not monolithic. It stretches across dozens of nations, languages, histories, and spiritual traditions. In honoring these figures, we also honor the beautiful plurality of cultures, family traditions, and lived experiences that make up API communities in America.

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