Arturo was an activist and advocate at a very young age. As a child of farmworkers in Fresno, California, he became an activist with the Farmworkers Union supporting Caesar Chavez. Arturo then quickly faced his next battles: coming out of the closet and facing an Epidemic that took the lives of loved ones around him.
Arturo came out of the closet as a student at UCLA, and quickly became a Gay leader working for the largest Gay/Lesbian Organization in Los Angeles. His activism within the Gay/Lesbian movement included persuading white activists to recognize people of color. This was a great challenge and he was not easily accepted by the primarily white leadership. Then came the AIDS Epidemic which changed his life. His partner was diagnosed early in the epidemic and he had no other choice but to join the many who fought and organized for men of color to be cared for and accepted by both the Gay/Lesbian and Latino communities.
Arturo represents a generation of activists in our community who committed their lives to saving the lives of others. We at HealthCare UnTold recognize him as one of our many heroes as we honor his story of leadership, advocacy, and courage.