Vincent Crisostomo
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Vincent Crisostomo | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1961 (age 64–65) Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan |
| Occupation | HIV/AIDS activist |
Vincent Anthony Crisostomo (born 1961, Tachikawa, Japan)[1] is an HIV AIDS activist from Guam. As of 2022, he was serving as Director of Aging Services at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF).[2] Previously, he served as Program Manager of SFAF's Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Network at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.[3][4][5]
Crisostomo grew up Catholic in a religious Chamorro family. He attended church frequently and was an altar boy as well as a member of the church choir. While the church provided a sense of community, it also promoted intolerance of homosexuality. Eventually, this prompted Crisostomo to leave the church and his home.[6]
Crisostomo himself contracted HIV in 1987[5] and was diagnosed with HIV the following year, after going to a clinic for what he thought was strep throat. Aged 28 at the time, he was told he likely wouldn't survive to age 30.[2]
Crisostomo is gay.[1] He met his partner, Jesse Solomon, in 1988 in New York City. Solomon was a physical therapist who worked with severely disabled children as well as a personal trainer and yoga teacher. They moved to San Francisco in 1990 and were one of the first 50 same-sex couples to register at the San Francisco City Hall. Solomon died October 6, 1991, of HIV/AIDS.[6]
In 1992, Crisostomo made his HIV status public on World AIDS Day, making him the first openly HIV-positive person to live in the Pacific Islands.[1]
Crisostomo did not initially take medication for his HIV diagnosis, after seeing how early treatments impacted some of his acquaintances. Although he first focused on holistic treatment and nutrition to get through his illnesses, he later began taking medication in 1996[2] after receiving an AIDS diagnosis in 1995.[7]