We already appreciated that out-gay Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta was a rising figure in the Democratic Party and an appointment in February only confirmed that fact.
The DNC appointed Kenyatta, 34, as one of its three vice-chairs. That makes him the first out-gay Black man to serve in this senior role within the party.
His election was re-run earlier this month due to complaints about voting technicalities. However, Kenyatta again triumphed, winning over 99% of his vote (he ran unopposed for his specific role).
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Following Joe Biden’s defeat last November, many within the party are searching for the next generation of leaders. Kenyatta is a contender.
Background
Born in 1990, Kenyatta is a third-generation North Philadelphia native. He’s the grandson of civil rights activist Muhammad L. Kenyatta. He earned a degree and Master’s at Philadelphia’s Temple and Drexel Universities respectively, and completed the Harvard Kennedy School’s Executives in State and Local Government program.
Kenyatta won election to the Pennsylvania House in 2018. In doing so, he became the first LGBTQ+ Black person elected to the state’s general assembly. He represents the 181st District. His campaign prioritized protecting workers’ rights and rooting out government corruption and waste.
Speaking to his old college fraternity (Pi Lambda Phi) in 2024, Kenyatta was asked if he felt destined to be a politician.
“I grew up not far from Temple and it was incredibly tough. We didn’t have a lot, and my parents worked incredibly hard, but we were just always on that treadmill of poverty. So, I’ve always been driven by challenging that inequality. For me, my genesis into politics was that I was really poor and upset about it. Now I have an opportunity to not just be upset about it, but to actually build something.”
Kenyatta’s embraced several roles since his initial election success. In 2023, President Joe Biden appointed him to chair the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans.
Turning Pennsylvania blue again
Understandably, Pennsylvania turning red last year was a disappointment for Kenyatta. His priority is to swing it blue again.
“Pennsylvania stands at the heart of America’s political future,” he says on his website. “I’ve walked through neighborhoods, stood on porches, and listened to families across this great commonwealth. Time and again, I’ve seen the resilience of Pennsylvanians who believe in fairness, opportunity, and a shared future. But after watching Pennsylvania swing … one thing is clear: complacency is not an option if we want to protect our democracy.”
After winning his DNC role for the first time in February, Kenyatta gave his views on the return of the Chaos-In-Chief to the White House.
“What we’re seeing in this administration is the worst reverse Robin Hood that we could have imagined, where we have the wealthiest people in the world doing everything they can every single day to rip away hard fought protections that Democrats achieved in the first place,” he told the Pennsylvanian Capital Star.
He wants to see Democrats shouting about their achievements.
“I am not going to spend the next four years somehow apologizing for being a Democrat, apologizing for being the party that passed Social Security, Medicare and also being the party that wants to protect it from these scoundrels that want to rip away those hard-earned benefits for our seniors and our working families.
“Democrats should not be shy. We should be damn proud of being the party of unions and of people being respected on the job.”
“Our turn to step up and to get engaged in the work”
Kenyatta is aware many feel despondent with the way the Tr*mp administration is rolling back hard-won minority rights.
“I’m reminded of what my grandmother told me the last time this [Tr*mp] was in the White House,” he told Queerty’s sister site, Native Son, in February. “She called me one day. Her stomach was twisted in knots. I could hear her having finished crying on the phone. She just said, ‘Baby, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry because I thought my generation had fixed some of this stuff. And here you are, fighting the same battles we thought we had won.’
“And I told her what I said to everybody at that moment: it is just our turn. This is our turn to step up and to get engaged in the work of making sure that, at a core basic level, people aren’t treated like crap. That every person can live a life of decency, dignity, safety, and security. That’s what everybody deserves.”
Kenyatta lives in North Philadelphia with his husband, Dr. Matthew Kenyatta, and their dog, Cleo.
If you want to deep dive into his life, check out the documentary, Kenyatta: Do Not Wait To Turn. The 2023 film is free to watch on YouTube (below).
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