Education
He attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where he got his Bachelor of Arts in theater and Spanish. When he graduated, he moved to Los Angeles in 1982, and got involved in the National Association of Black and White Men Together.
He attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where he got his Bachelor of Arts in theater and Spanish. When he graduated, he moved to Los Angeles in 1982, and got involved in the National Association of Black and White Men Together.
This was at a time when the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome epidemic was just starting in the United States, and Wilson has said he did not feel like anyone was bringing together the black community to solve the problem. The country believed that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome was a gay disease, and outreach was primarily focused in white, gay communities, when Wilson believed that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome affected the black community much more. When his partner died of an Human Immunodeficiency Virus-related illness in 1989, Wilson channeled his grief into activism.
In 1981, Wilson was already involved in the gay community in Chicago through sports activities and social activities.
His first jump into the activist lifestyle came in 1983, when he read the poem "Where will you be when they come?" at a candlelight vigil for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome victims, which he also helped organize. After organizing the candlelight vigil in 1983, Wilson began working as the Director of Policy and Planning for the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Project in Los Los Angeles
During this time he was also the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Coordinator for Los Los Angeles From 1990 to 1995, Wilson served as the co-chair of the Los Angeles Human Immunodeficiency Virus Health Commission.
Wilson took a break from work in 1997, when his disease became too immobilizing.
Wilson went back to work in 1999, when he founded the Black Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Institute. In 2010, Wilson became appointed to President Obama"s Advisory Council on Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, becoming the co-chair of the disparities subcommittee. During his career, Wilson has also worked as a World Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Summit delegate.
Also during his career, he, along with other Black Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome activists, "urged the to provide additional funding to African American groups eager to educate and mobilize their community around Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome issues.
The result was the announcement of a 5-year domestic "Acting Against Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome" campaign that resulted in 14 Blacks organizations, including the, being awarded grants to hire an Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome coordinator to expand their work."
Wilson has said that when he dies, he hopes people will remember him for not giving up. His biggest fear is that the black community will give up fighting against this disease.
In 1999 Wilson was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. In 2001, he was given the Leadership for a Changing World award by the Ford Foundation. In 2004, he was the recipient of the Discovery Health Channel Medical Honor. He was also "named one of the "2005 Black History Makers in the Making" by Black Entertainment Television." Wilson also received the Delta Spirit Award from the Delta Sigma Theta Los Angeles chapter.
In 1995, he became a member of the HRSA Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Advisory Committee.
