Title
Proclaiming May 9, 2023 as “Kiyoshi Kuromiya” day in Philadelphia for his contribution to the civil rights struggles of African-Americans, the LGBTQ community, and those affected by HIV and AIDS.
Body
Whereas, Kiyoshi Kuromiya was born on May 9, 1943 at the Heart Mountain Internment Camp for Japanese Americans during World War 2. The injustice of this action was a driving force in Kiyoshi’s life and laid the groundwork for his participation in the various civil rights struggles during his lifetime; and
Whereas, Kiyoshi Kuromiya was brutally beaten by police at a demonstration during the Freedom Summer of 1963 and later attended the March on Washington meeting Dr. King and James Baldwin later that evening; and
Whereas, Kiyoshi Kuromiya befriended the theorist Buckminster Fuller in Philadelphia and participated in writing the final four books by Mr. Fuller before he died in 1983; and
Whereas, because of his work with Mr. Fuller, Kiyoshi started the Critical Path AIDS Project, which was responsible for distributing information about HIV and AIDS during a time when information was scarce. Mr. Kuromiya possessed a formative understanding of computers and the internet and used those platforms to distribute vital information well before many people understood those technologies; and
Whereas, Kiyoshi participated in a class action lawsuit which struck down provisions of the Communication Decency Act of 1996 that would have prevented the distribution of factual information about HIV and AIDS to minors, and
Whereas, Kiyoshi was a well-regarded restaurant reviewer, scrabble champion, and loved to watch Jeopardy and answer the questions while working on multiple projects, and
Whereas, We are very honored and proud of Kiyoshi, an adopted Philadelphian who cared deeply for marginalized people everywhere and feel it only fitting to honor him with a “Kiyoshi Kuromiya Day” on what would have been his 80th birthday; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we honor and recognize Kiyoshi Kuromiya on his achievements and support of the civil rights of all communities.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the LGBTQ community of Philadelphia in honor of the work of Kiyoshi Kuromiya and recognize that May 9th will heretofore be understood as Kiyoshi Kuromiya day.
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