Malcolm Kenyatta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Malcolm Kenyatta
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Kenyatta in 2022
|
|
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 181st district |
|
| Assumed office January 1, 2019 |
|
| Preceded by | Curtis Thomas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 30, 1990 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Matthew Miller |
| Relatives | Muhammad Kenyatta (grandfather) |
| Education | Temple University (BA) Drexel University (MS) |
Malcolm Kenyatta was born on July 30, 1990. He is an American politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Since 2019, he has served as a state representative for Pennsylvania's 181st district. In 2024, he ran for Pennsylvania Auditor General, which is like a state's chief financial watchdog, but he did not win.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Malcolm Kenyatta was born in Philadelphia. His parents are Kelly Kenyatta and Malcolm J. Kenyatta. He has three adopted brothers and sisters. His grandfather, Muhammad Kenyatta, was an important civil rights activist. This means he worked hard to make sure all people had equal rights.
Malcolm went to Temple University and earned a degree in communication. He then got another degree from Drexel University. While in college, he helped organize student protests. These protests were against plans to cut money for schools by the governor at the time.
He also loved poetry and performing. In 2008, he started a poetry group called Babel. This group won awards for their poetry performances. Malcolm also completed a special program at Harvard University for leaders in government.
His Work and Public Service
Malcolm Kenyatta started helping his community when he was only eleven years old. He worked as a junior block captain, helping with local neighborhood programs.
He has always been active in his community. He cares a lot about helping people who are struggling with poverty. He believes that poverty is a very important issue for everyone. He also worked as a political helper for different campaigns.
Malcolm supported Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. He has also spoken about his ideas for improving healthcare. He believes in working together to find solutions.
In 2016 and 2020, he was chosen to be a delegate for the Democratic National Convention. This is a big meeting where the party chooses its presidential candidate. In 2020, he was one of seventeen people chosen to give a main speech. This was a special moment because he was one of the first openly gay speakers to give a main speech at this convention.
In 2020, Malcolm was also one of the people chosen from Pennsylvania to vote in the United States Electoral College. These people officially cast votes for the President and Vice President after the election.
In 2023, President Biden asked Malcolm to lead a special group. This group works to help Black Americans get better education and economic chances.
Serving in the Pennsylvania House
In 2017, Malcolm Kenyatta decided to run for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He wanted to represent his local area. He won the election in 2018.
When he won, he became one of the youngest state representatives in Pennsylvania. He also made history as the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the state's government.
He ran for re-election in 2022 and won again.
Running for U.S. Senate
In 2021, Malcolm Kenyatta announced he wanted to become a United States Senator for Pennsylvania. He ran in the Democratic primary election in 2022. He did not win, but he gained a lot of support.
Running for Auditor General
In 2023, Malcolm Kenyatta announced he would run for Pennsylvania Auditor General. This job involves checking how the state's money is spent to make sure it's used wisely. He ran in the 2024 election but was not elected.
Personal Life
Malcolm Kenyatta lives in Philadelphia with his husband, Matt. There have been documentaries made about him, like "Going Forward" in 2018 and "Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn" in 2023. These films show his journey and work.
Special Recognition
Malcolm Kenyatta has received several honors for his work.
In 2017, Philadelphia Magazine called him a "neighborhood champ."
A documentary called Going Forward was made about his 2018 election win. It won awards.
The Philadelphia Tribune newspaper said he was one of Philadelphia's most important African-Americans.
In 2020, OUT Magazine included him in their "OUT 100 Honoree" list. This list celebrates influential LGBTQ+ people. He also received the Sen. Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award that same year.
In August 2024, Malcolm Kenyatta spoke again at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Images for kids
-
Malcolm Kenyatta in 2022
