Honoring Legacy and Passion: John Keasler and the Dr. A. Brad Truax Awards

By Cesar A Reyes

In October 2025, John Keasler marked a memorable milestone: 50 years in San Diego. What began as a journey from rural Texas blossomed into a lifetime of activism, compassion, and art that has touched countless lives in the HIV/AIDS community. From the moment he arrived in Southern California, Keasler was captivated: “I came from farm country north of Dallas, Texas. I was attracted by the beauty, culture, and freedom of Southern California.”

That search for freedom led him straight into the heart of the HIV/AIDS movement in San Diego. He participated in the city’s very first AIDS Walk in 1985—then called the Walk for Life—three years before he tested positive for HIV. “I was probably exposed in 1985,” he reflects, “but I didn’t get a positive test until 1988.”

But instead of turning inward, Keasler turned outward, channeling his experience into service and support for others. Over the decades, he’s worn many hats: Benefits Counselor at The San Diego LGBT Center, Vice-President of the HIV Consumer Council, Board Member of Pozabilities, Peer Advocate Trainer at Being Alive, and more. In the early ’90s, he became a regular fixture at Strength for the Journey, a weeklong retreat in Julian for people living with HIV. “I returned to the camp on staff, serving for three decades in leadership positions,” he says.

Yet it’s not just his advocacy that makes Keasler such a vital part of San Diego’s HIV/AIDS history—it’s his art.

Since 1994, Keasler has been the creative force behind the Dr. A. Brad Truax Awards, a cherished annual event recognizing those who’ve made significant contributions to HIV/AIDS services in San Diego. His connection to the awards began through friendship and grief. “I became friends with Dennis Long around 1990. He and Tim Grummon were the first creators of the awards until 1993. Upon their passing, the task was passed to me.”

At the time, openly gay artists—especially those living with HIV—were few and far between. Keasler stepped into that space with a raw honesty and a deep symbolic approach to art-making that quickly made the awards stand out. Each year, he creates a completely unique, hand-crafted piece—always before the recipient is chosen. “It was always necessary to reach into myself and pull out a meaningful symbol library based on my own HIV/AIDS experience,” he explains. “And to combine that with messaging that reflects the continued care and strength I see in the AIDS community.”

There’s something sacred about this creative process—each award a deeply personal expression of survival, grief, resilience, and love. “Each year the award art changes as my chosen family and I go deeper and deeper into the Long Term Survivor experience.”

Some of the most memorable pieces carry powerful stories. “My first award in 1994 was a painting of a hand lifting up a sleeping figure into a night sky. It was meant to represent compassion and also powers beyond human control.” In 1995, he wove together nine colored ribbons into a square and suspended it in a wooden hoop, with a miniature rose pinned to the center. “This was a statement of the interlocking of elements like care, compassion, emotion, strength, etc. And the suspension of human existence in the loom of the cosmos.”

In 1997, the award took the form of a sculpture: a child’s hand holding a heart, wrapped in a ribbon. It went to Irene Milton, Director and co-founder of Christie’s Place, which serves women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. “That one really felt appropriate for the recipient,” Keasler recalls.

And in 2003, as wildfires devastated Southern California, Keasler’s piece reflected that loss and endurance. “It was a rather bleak one of bronze and tarnished green showing animals and birds emerging in front of a bronzed sun over hazy hills,” he says. “It went to Mary Caffrey.”

His recent work leans into myth and identity, often incorporating expressive, embellished faces. “I hope the viewer brings their own interpretation to the piece,” he says, highlighting his desire for the work to resonate on multiple levels.

But it’s not just about the art. It’s about honoring the people doing the work. “Many of those serving the HIV/AIDS communities work quietly with devotion and do not ask for recognition,” Keasler says. “By illuminating their achievements, we give inspiration and encouragement for others in this field.”

Looking ahead, Keasler is focused on ensuring the legacy of the Truax Awards continues long after his own chapter ends. “One of the most important jobs in social activism is to train your replacement,” he says. He’s currently working with San Diego’s HIV Planning Group on a process to select a new artist to carry the torch. “We’re looking to draw from artists who are affected by AIDS, but I prefer it to be someone who is HIV Positive. We’re looking for someone with talent and compassion for the job.”

And if he had to choose one word to define the spirit of the awards?

“Passion.”

“There is a lot of passion in those who experience AIDS in their struggles against death and for life,” he says. “There is passion among their caregivers and their families. There is passion in the creative process and its creation.”

John Keasler’s passion is unmistakable, and so is his legacy. For over 30 years he has transformed personal pain into communal healing, using art as a vessel to tell stories of strength, remembrance, and hope. And in doing so, he’s helped ensure that the fight—and the heart—of the HIV/AIDS community in San Diego is never forgotten.