Motown Artist, Kem, Shares His Life with Youth and Staff at Covenant House

In his new memoir, Share My Life, Grammy Award–nominated artist Kem shares his transformative journey from homelessness to an internationally renowned R&B singer/songwriter.

On a busy Wednesday last week in the midst of a national media book tour, Kem took time to share his inspiring story with our young people and staff at Covenant House New York.

“I am not here to preach today. I am here to testify,” said Kem. “My life has been changed and transformed because people shared their experiences with me. No matter where you are today, you can get to the other side.

“You have the power to write your own story,” said Kem. “You all have stories to tell.”

In his late teens and early twenties, Kem was living on the streets in Detroit. “I was eating out of trash cans. Sometimes I would stay at adult shelters. I wasn’t ready to listen or get help.

“At 23, I was physically and emotionally bankrupt. I woke up one day and just surrendered. I came to the realization that it was going to take something outside of myself. I asked for help. Alcoholics Anonymous saved my life. I took my last drink on July 23, 1990. I still go to meetings. I still have tough days, but now I have my family and my faith. Find your foundation, find positive people in your lives, like the people you have found here at Covenant House.”  

During the visit, our young people at Covenant House asked questions about Kem’s individual journey. One young man asked Kem about some of his tougher times and if peer pressure factored into any of his decisions.

“That is a great question. Peer pressure is a real thing,” Kem shared. “There were many times I let peer pressure inform my decisions. But what I have learned is that although peer pressure is real, it’s not an excuse. It all starts with where you are right now. You are the one making the decisions. I can tell from meeting all of you here today that you have real strength. Carry that strength, carry that message.”

Another of our Covenant House youth asked Kem if he would change any of his life experiences, even the more difficult ones, now that he is an internationally known and loved recording star.

“I don’t think I would risk changing any of my experiences,” said Kem. “Those hard times, and they were hard, are all a part of my story. It’s all a part of my life now.”

Kem not only gave of his time and inspired our young people and staff during his visit. He also quietly and without fanfare presented a check for $10,000 to Dr. Shakeema North, interim executive director of Covenant House New York.

“We are so grateful to you and your team for taking time to be with us in community today, and for this very generous gift we were not expecting,” said Shakeema. “You didn’t need to take time to come here today. Your story, your openness, means a lot to me and to all of us here. Your story is so powerful and personal and you have made a real difference here today. Thank you so much.”

In a quote from Kem’s website, he explains a little about his creative process that has led to one platinum-selling album, two gold-selling albums, three Grammy nominations, and five number one hit singles.

“I’m always searching for that connective tissue between earthly and divine love,” he explains. “That tissue, of course, is comprised of beauty. Creating beauty—a beautiful melody, a beautiful lyric, a beautiful groove—is always my goal.”

A goal that Kem and his team beautifully created for our young people at Covenant House.