By Mashaun D. Simon
Ken Kemp makes it a practice of speaking to everyone whenever he walks into a room – regardless of who is in the room.
That’s exactly what he did the first time he met his now-husband, Rashaun Kemp. It has been over a decade since the two entered each other’s orbits. While Ken was doing what he was used to doing, for Rashaun, the moment was more impactful.
“I am someone that has a horrible memory,” Rashaun told GLAAD one Saturday afternoon in April via Zoom. “But the moment I met him, something seared it into my memory. Something about him just stood out.”
Looking away from the screen as if to catch the memory, Rashaun admits that Ken made an impression. He even remembers what Ken was wearing that night.
“A pink polo shirt,” he said, looking over at Ken sitting next to him in their home office. “He was only there for a short period of time, but I remember the pink polo shirt he had on. He actually talked to my ex more than he talked to me that night.”
Rashaun is running for political office in Georgia for the second time. In 2022, he ran for the Georgia House of Representatives District 61. He lost that race, only earning 46 percent of the vote. This year, Rashaun is currently in a runoff race to represent District 38 in the Georgia State Senate.
The idea of running for the first time happened around their first wedding anniversary in 2022.
“Because we got married in January, every year we discuss our goals for the year during our anniversary dinner,” said Rashaun. “We’re having dinner and talking about our goals for the year. And, I think I said, ‘I kinda want to run for office, but it’d be too difficult to do.’”
In true Ken fashion, added Rashaun, Ken responded immediately, “You could do it.”
“He was all in at that moment,’ said Rashaun. “Honestly, if he were to give any shadow of doubt, I wouldn’t have run that year.”
As far as Ken is concerned, that’s his job. During their first official date years prior, they shared with each other their goals and dreams for the future. Even then he knew he wanted to do whatever he could to help Rashaun accomplish every desire he had.
While unsuccessful in that first run, they saw the experience as positive. Well, at least Ken did.
“He was upset after the race, but I was super ecstatic and happy,” said Ken. “And I’m the most competitive person you’ll ever meet. I want to beat you in walking. I’m so competitive.”
The first time, they both admit, was more of a practice run. They were new to the process, which meant following the guidance and heeding the advice of others they felt were better versed and familiar with the landscape. There were challenges and setbacks.
Blazing our own trail
“I don’t think every loss is a true loss, right?” asked Ken.
This second time around, they feel confident about the outcome. They know more about the process and what to expect. They are also more confident about being true to themselves and the power of who they are. They both believe their family is a positive contribution to the campaign.
That family includes 20-year-old Jaden, who is completing his sophomore year at Tennessee State University, and a two-year-old daughter, Brooklyn. Kids have always been a large part of Ken’s life goals. Before meeting Rashaun, he had always been attracted to guys with kids. It was the first question he asked whenever he met someone new. And if they hesitated?
“In my mind, it was a done deal,” said Ken.
Even though his parents were divorced, his mother remarried, and Ken’s stepfather and father were both influences in his life.
“[My father] gave me everything I needed but emotional support. That was the only thing that he didn’t know how to give me. But he was there for every activity, and if I needed money, he always provided,” said Ken. “My stepfather was the total opposite. He really couldn’t give me the financial means of things, but his emotional support was there. I got the best of both worlds.”
He took notice—via social media, of course—of how present Rashaun was in Jaden’s life. He wasn’t sure if Rashaun would want more children. But for Rashaun, there wasn’t a question.
“Without hesitation,” Rashaun exclaimed. “I’ve always wanted Jaden to be a big brother.”
Six months after the Kemps were married in 2021, they added Brooklyn to their family.
“Seeing how Jaden is with her…they have a special relationship,” said Rashaun. “Whenever he is home from school, she is excited to have him home.”
Having Brooklyn fulfilled Rashaun’s desire for Jaden to have another sibling. But it wasn’t just about having another kid for the sake of having another kid. And for Ken, it wasn’t just about being a father because he always wanted to be one. The motivation is more intentional and meaningful for them – creating a family unit. They are in the early stages of adding to their family. That way, Brooklyn will have a sibling in the house she can grow up with when Jaden leaves and is on his own.
The Kemps’ impact and influence are not lost on them and are part of the reason they are committed to being as transparent as they have been about their family and lives.
“We don’t see two Black men who have families very often in our community. It isn’t very prevalent,” he adds. “What we do is we try just to blaze our own trail. We do have a lot of people, single guys and couples, who tell us, ‘I just love you guys, y’all are an inspiration.’ And we tell them our relationship is like a thumbprint. Everybody has a different setup. So please do not try to model your relationship on what we do.”
“I don’t want to make it seem like everything is perfect,” said Rashaun. “Everything is not always cookie cutter, like how we see in the movies or visualize as we are growing up. We’ve had struggles. But with any relationship, we have both decided that we care about each other enough that we’re going to fight through any of those struggles together. That’s the advice we like to give people. Meet someone who’s willing to always fight for you and the relationship.”