T HAS BEEN A LONG, long ride since The Real World launched the fledgling Karamo Brown from the nest of the show’s host city, Philadelphia in 2004.
Fame was quick and hot for a time and somewhat fleeting for the 20-year-old once the cameras were silent and the lights turned off. The shock of “leaving the nest” made him flounder and like most 20-some- things who are trying to figure out their next move, it took a minute for him to regain his wings. As Brown said, “I was in this weird world of being
known, but not recognized for any specific talent. It was a hard place to live in.” When asked about the lasting things that he learned from the experience, he had this to say, “The biggest lesson I learned on MTV’s The Real World has to be that I was a mess in my 20s and I never want to be again (laughs). Having the op- portunity to watch myself back then, I realized how unaware, misguided and angry I was. I’m so thankful for that opportunity though, because it forced me to grow and become a better man.” The show is known for its edginess and for pushing boundaries, for Brown however, being gay was the least of his concerns. Though the boundary thing was at times, a little disconcerting. “I was fully com- fortable with being openly gay. For me at the time, growing up in a conservative house, I felt uncomfort- able about being intimate on camera. I kept thinking, ‘what will my grandmother think?’ But after a couple of weeks, I got over that quick—obviously—from all the naked shower/sex moments I had (laughs). How many of us have had that same thought pro-
cess? The idea that our families finding out for many of us would be, at best, difficult or less-than-perfect and it is something Brown can relate to. “You know… Inviting people into your life regarding your sexual- ity has its own unique challenges for every person. My biggest struggle was being from a Caribbean heritage. My parents were born in Jamaica—I’m first generation American. Knowing that my father, at the time, subscribed to many of the homophobic ideolo- gies perpetuated by the Jamaican media and did not accept his openly gay son.” Ideologies that are still very much in place for
many LGBT youth and for not too few, they can be devastating—for others—downright dangerous. “It was hard for me to know that my culture would rather see me dead than happy. Most members of the LGBT community can identify with that on some level… knowing that those you love and respect do
not value the person you are. But, what I’ve realized, is that self love and finding a community of friends, including organizations that do see the value in me, give me the courage to continue living my life out, proud and open.” Brown was in for a shock in his young adulthood,
nearly three years after The Real World ended. He came home one day, to find a stack of papers on his doorstep, suing him for back support for a child, that up until then, he didn’t know existed. As Karamo said, “I thought it was a joke at first, but quickly realized that being a ‘fast’ little boy had caught up with me.” Rising to the challenge is something that he seems to do well and this providential moment was one he took on happily. “Nobody… Including myself, saw that coming. But, I believe God has a plan for each of us. Becoming a father has made me a better man and is one of the main reasons my career is flourishing.” In fact, taking over custody of his biological child
was just the first step in the process… that, like most things in life, would lead to another challenge. “After getting custody of my biological child, I then ad- opted my son’s younger brother (they have the same mother but different biological fathers). The process of getting him was a bit stressful, but, this kid’s mother is one of the most amazing women I have ever met. She supported the idea of him coming to
live with me and then in my gaining custody of him. Brown had plenty of help and is quick to point out from where and whom it came, “In most states, there are a lot of resources available to help LGBT individu- als adopt a child. Those resources were invaluable in the process of adopting my youngest. But, it was truly the support of my son’s selfless mother that made the process a good one.” Proud father is definitely a moniker that fits Kara-
mo. His boys, 17 (Jason) and 14 (Chris) and he, have created a strong, solid family. When I asked about his boys, he glowingly said, “I’ve had them since they were so young that it blows my mind how big they are getting. I am so proud of them.” When asked to talk about the challenges and the rewards around being an LGBT parent and the things that they have faced, the response, sadly, wasn’t too surprising. “The most challenging would be the ignorance we sometimes face from schools, teachers and other kids’ parents who aren’t comfortable with my kids having a gay dad. To combat that, he did what any good parent should do—he protected them—by preparing them for what they might face. “I made sure to equip my kids with the love and the tools to handle that ignorance.” The rewards? Here comes the proud papa once again. “The most rewarding would be seeing them grow into these amazing men. I love
OCTOBER 2014 | RAGE monthly 35
karamo and his two sons
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