“Care for us and accept us – we are all human beings,” said Nkosi Johnson, the South African activist who courageously campaigned for the equal rights of children with AIDS. Today’s Doodle honors the life and legacy of a voice of change heard by millions around the world.

Xolani Nkosi was born HIV-positive in Johannesburg, South Africa, on this day in 1989. A public relations officer named Gail Johnson soon adopted Nkosi from an AIDS care center with his mother’s blessing. Together, Gail and Nkosi began their historic fight against the autoimmune disease.

When it became time for Nkosi to attend school, he faced discrimination because of his infection. In response, his foster mother organized workshops that educated the South African community about AIDS, and her efforts led Parliament to pass legislation that required schools to uphold anti-discrimination policies that protected children like Nkosi.

This landmark decision sparked Nkosi to speak publicly about what it is like to be a child with AIDS. Audiences around the world heard his speeches, which helped destigmatize the global perspective on those affected by the disease. Together with Gail, they established Nkosi’s Haven, an NGO still active today that provides a safe home and healthcare for families affected by AIDS.

Unfortunately, Nkosi died in 2001 at the age of 12. In honor of his bravery, the KidsRight organization created the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2005. Each year the award—a “Nkosi” statuette, is —given to a young winner celebrated for promoting children’s rights.

Early concepts by artist Kevin Laughlin