Being a spokesperson for African-Americans or members of the LGBTQ+ community can prove challenging. Being both can prove a daunting task, but it’s a task that Kenny Screven deems necessary. The beauty and makeup influencer is making waves throughout the online community by standing for both LGBT rights and black representation.
Kenny is best known for his digital content around makeup and styling. An openly gay influencer who isn’t one to shy away from his truth, he uses his platform to spread a message of acceptance and positivity in a time where discrimination and racial profiling are a global problem.
Most people might come across Screven’s content and see him in bright and bold-colored makeup, and he’s more than ready to show the world his true colors. Most recently, Kenny Screven started a movement called “Haus of Shadez,” an online campaign to bring more awareness to the rights of black LGBT individuals. He hopes that through his advocacy, more gay black people will feel comfortable with who they are.
Growing up, Kenny never felt that he had that luxury. He grew up in a home that didn’t support his choices, leading him to hide his homosexuality from his parents and family. Kenny always showed a softer side in school despite trying to conceal it, so that he would get bullied frequently. It wasn’t until college that he found a circle of friends who supported his lifestyle and accepted him for who he was. When he discovered that, Kenny finally felt the liberty to share his true self with the world.
During his sophomore year in college, Kenny started doing makeup. He started with light cosmetics at first out of worry that people would begin labeling and judging him. But as the makeup influencer got more comfortable, the influencer started getting into more bold expressions. Not long after, he started posting YouTube tutorials and Instagram posts, which would take off. Today, Kenny has over 128,000 Instagram followers and 37,500 YouTube subscribers.
Through the years, Kenny has built up a reputable brand of makeup influencing while maintaining a strong message and stance about LGBT and black rights, making him a significant voice among his circles. “My main message is that anyone can be beautiful,” explains the online personality. “Any shape, size, color, skin, or gender. Beauty is beauty, and there shouldn’t be any boundaries.”
Kenny continues to advocate for safe spaces for LGBT+ rights, especially among younger generations. He encourages people in his workplace to be their authentic selves by giving them a place to talk, learn, and discover more about themselves. Kenny maintains that he is just as human as everyone else, susceptible to the anxieties and fears in life. But he allows his vulnerabilities to be his truth, and he aims to create an empowering message of hope to all who feel trapped within themselves. He openly shares how makeup is his form of release from life’s troubles. “I can be having a terrible day, but once I do my makeup, I forget about all the troubles in the world,” Kenny adds. “Looking in the mirror and loving what I see in the mirror after dedicating two hours to makeup application. There’s no better feeling, especially when your makeup comes out perfect.”
Kenny hopes to increase his spheres of influence and move into fitness advocacies in the future and start a podcast. To learn more about Kenny by visiting his Instagram account and YouTube channel.
