Dr. Matt Makes History as the First Black Gay Spouse to Speak at the DNC (2020)

An incredible blogger ran a story about our moment. https://www.livingoutloud20.com/post/watch-pa-rep-malcolm-kenyatta-appears-on-dnc-with-fianc%C3%A9-dr-matthew-miller

Representative Malcolm Kenyatta (181st District-North Philadelphia) was one of 17 rising political stars and the only openly gay Black man to participate in the keynote address delivered during the second night of the Democratic National Convention. But viewers received a bonus during Kenyatta's pre-recorded remarks when his fiancé, Dr. Matthew Miller joined him onscreen for a brief but captivating moment that undoubtedly reverberated across America.

The Philadelphia power couple spoke on the significance of Joe Biden's support of their relationship.

Kenyatta: "When I wanted to marry the man I loved, Joe Biden was the first national figure to support me and my family. "

Miller: "Appreciate you man."

That "appreciate you man" has us completely verklempt. And we're not alone. The couple's clip became a topic of discussion on CNN's New Day during an interview with openly gay former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.

We got to see ourselves not only during the DNC 2020 but the Philadelphia Inquirer featured us on the front page as we watched ourselves the next day.

While it was only three words, it was enough for President Biden to shout me and Malcolm out during the Pride Month celebration at the White House in July 2021. Our moment apparently “stole the show” and it is now reflected in the official White House transcript. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/06/25/remarks-by-president-biden-commemorating-lgbtq-pride-month/

Quoted in Bloomberg CityLab’s “The Accidental Occupation of Seattle” Article

In a Bloomberg CityLab article for their Justice column, I was quoted discussing the historical context and implications of the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) zone in Seattle. The journalist connected the protest zone to historical precedents, and I offered a comparison to Resurrection City, the 1968 encampment on the National Mall that was part of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign. I noted that, “Like the Resurrection City tradition, CHOP City radically gestured toward a more communal way of life in direct protest to the surrendered police state upon which it is being constructed.”

I highlighted the innovative approach of the CHOP/CHAZ organizers, who employed a “more tactical, temporary, & transgressive ‘placetaking’ method” compared to historical movements. However, from my research perspective, which focuses on Black urbanism, I observed that the Capitol Hill protest, despite beginning as a protest for Black lives, falls short of the criteria for Black urbanism. I pointed out that “Black urbanism requires three elements — civics, stories, and space — to produce Black belongingness,” and I expressed concern about “whose spatial imaginary is being listened to” in the context of the Capitol Hill protests.

Read here: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-18/what-s-next-for-seattle-s-police-free-protest-zone