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Finding aid of the Tomas Fabregas Papers
1996-44
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Title: Tomas Fabregas Papers
Dates: 1990-1994
Collection number: 1996-44
Creator:
Fabregas, Tomas
Collection Size:
6 manuscript boxes
3.0 linear feet
Repository:
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
San Francisco, California 94105
Abstract: Memos, press releases, articles, correspondence, conference information and reports document Tomas Fabregas' AIDS activism
on behalf of the ACT UP Immigrant working group and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. The collection highlights Fabregas'
work against immigration and travel restrictions on HIV positive people worldwide.
Physical location: Stored at the Archives of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society in San Francisco, California.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection open for research.
Copyright to unpublished manuscript materials has been transferred to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society.
Tomas Fabregas Papers, 1996-44, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society.
Donated by Jeffrey L. Brooks, 1996.
Tomas Fabregas, a Spanish citizen, traveled to the United States in 1979. Fascinated by New York, he became a legal permanent
resident. Fabregas worked for the United Nations in New York prior to moving to California in order to pursue graduate work
at UC Berkeley. When he was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1989, Fabregas put his career on hold to become an AIDS activist.
He began his involvement with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation in 1989 by volunteering for the Foundation's Public Policy
Department.
He continued his work with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation in 1990, helping to create a multilingual newsletter for HIV
positive people on behalf of the Foundation's Education Department as well as being elected to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation's
board of Directors and the Healing Alternatives Foundation's
Board of Directors. Additionally, Fabregas became a member of ACT UP Golden Gate and ACT UP San Francisco in 1990. Fabregas
worked with ACT UP on the Treatment Issues Committee as well as the Joint Immigration Working Group of ACT UP San Francisco
and ACT UP Golden Gate.
In his capacities at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the ACT UP Immigration Working Group, Fabregas campaigned to have
immigration and travel restrictions on HIV positive people lifted worldwide. In the United States, Fabregas campaigned against
the Nickles amendment, a piece of U.S. legislation which retained the exclusion of HIV positive immigrants and travelers.
Fabregas also campaigned both the Bush senior and Clinton administrations to release the HIV positive Haitian refugees quarantined
at Guantanamo Bay.
Fabregas traveled to AIDS conferences worldwide, often as a keynote speaker. He was instrumental in urging the 8th International
AIDS Conference to move the conference location from Boston due to U.S. immigration and travel restrictions on HIV positive
people. The 8th International AIDS conference was held in Amsterdam in 1992, featuring Fabregas as a speaker at the opening
ceremony. Jeffrey Brooks, Fabregas' partner, often traveled overseas with him.
Fabregas resigned from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation in 1993. He died of AIDS related complications in 1994 at age 36.
Scope and Content of Collection
Memos, press releases, articles, correspondence, conference information, and reports, 1990-1994 (3.6 linear feet) chronicle
the AIDS activism of Tomas Fabregas. The collection focuses on his capacities with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and
the Joint Immigration Working Group of ACT UP San Francisco and ACT UP Golden Gate as well as his outreach to related organizations.
Fabregas campaigned against immigration and travel restrictions on HIV positive people. The collection contains articles
and speeches written by Fabregas in addition to particular campaigns that he worked on.
The collection is divided into 9 series:
- Series 1. ACT UP
- Series 2. SAN FRANCISCO AIDS FOUNDATION
- Series 3. RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
- Series 4. HIV RESTRICTIONS ON IMMIGRATION
- Series 5. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AIDS
- Series 6. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
- Series 7. WORK AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Series 8. MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES
- Series 9. ARTIFACTS
Each folder is listed within the appropriate series in the container list Folders containing memos or correspondence are
arranged chronologically in ascending order.
Series 1. ACT UP, 1991-1994
This series includes articles, flyers, memos and correspondence for the ACT UP Immigrant Working Group of ACT UP San Francisco
and ACT UP Golden Gate. Also included is information from other ACT UP chapters.
Series 2. San Francisco AIDS Foundation, 1991-1993
This series includes memos, press releases, articles, and correspondence from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Fabregas
began his work with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation in 1991 and resigned from the Foundation in 1993.
Series 3. Related Organizations, 1991-1994
This series includes AIDS related information from organizations Fabregas was in contact with. In his capacities at the San
Francisco AIDS Foundation as well as the ACT UP Immigrant Working Group, Fabregas worked extensively with the Coalition for
Immigrant Services (CIRRS) and the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights. Fabregas also worked with the American Foundation
for AIDS Research (AMFAR), an AIDS activist organization founded by Elizabeth Taylor. Photos of Taylor and Fabregas together
at press conferences are included in the AMFAR folder.
Series 4. HIV Restrictions on Immigration, 1993
This series includes memos, notes, correspondence, legal documents, flyers and press releases dealing the Nickles amendment,
a National Institute of Health (NIH) bill, detainment of HIV positive Haitian refugees at Gauntanamo Bay. The Nickles amendment
and the NIH bill were attempts to legislate the exclusion of HIV immigrants, rather than leaving immigrant restrictions under
the advisement of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The HIV restrictions on immigration were called into question
when the United States detained over 200 HIV positive Haitian refugees at Gauntanamo Bay in 1991.
Series 5. International Conference on AIDS, 1991-1993
This series includes information on the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th International Conference on AIDS. There is extensive documentation
on the 8th conference, which Fabregas campaigned to have moved from Boston due to U.S. immigration restrictions. Once the
conference was moved to Amsterdam, Fabregas campaigned to have the issue of HIV immigration and travel restrictions addressed
at the opening ceremony. After petitioning the conference committee, Fabregas was eventually invited to speak about immigration
and travel restrictions at the opening ceremony of the 8th International Conference on AIDS. At the conference, Fabregas
publicly challenged the Bush administration to enforce the HIV restrictions on his re-entry into the United States. Fabregas
re-entered the U.S. without any issues. The mayor of San Francisco proclaimed Fabregas' return to the U.S. as Tomas Fabregas
Day
Series 6. General Correspondence, 1991-1994
This folder contains the personal correspondence of Tomas Fabregas. It also contains Fabregas' Correspondence with his lawyer,
Morris Ratner.
Series 7. Work and Accomplishments, 1991-1994
This series includes notes, research, awards, articles, speeches, and reports written for or about Fabregas.
Series 8. Miscellaneous Activities, 1991-1994
This series includes miscellaneous activities and conferences attended by Fabregas.
Series 9. Artifacts, 1991-1994
This series includes AIDS activist business cards from around the world and the Immigration Working Group rubber stamp.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
San Francisco (Calif.)
AIDS
Immigration
People With AIDS
International AIDS Conference
ACT UP/Golden Gate, 1991, periodicals collection
ACT UP/San Francisco, 1989-1990, periodicals collection
San Francisco AIDs Foundation, 1989, periodicals collection