That’s a big accomplishment for somebody who felt, for a long time, that there was a big gap between who he actually was, and who people wanted him to be.
Martin, a Milwaukee native, was born in the mid-80s and grew up on Milwaukee’s East Side.
He graduated from Bay View High School and attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he earned his Masters in Public Health.
Martin grew up in a loving two-parent household. He was close to both his parents, but especially his dad.
“I was really blessed to have both mother and father in the household. And my father was one of my mentors who really taught me what it was to grow up and be a successful young man,” he said.
A child preacher in pumps
Their family was very religious growing up.
“My parents raised me in the Church of God in Christ, one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world,” he said.
Being raised in a “deeply rooted Christian household” meant Martin got his license to preach at only 15 years old.
He was later ordained and served the church as an elder at the local, state, and national level. For Martin, that created a gap in his identity he had to bridge.
“By day I was this young, phenomenal preacher who people sought out."
"And then by night, I’m slipping into my mom’s pumps, putting on her makeup, and playing in her good Sunday hair,” he said with a laugh.
Despite being a child preacher, he wasn’t a saint growing up.
“Those were some of my best years, but I was mischievous. I’m transparent about it, but I got in some trouble growing up,” he said.
“I try to look back on my experiences and remember the lessons I’ve learned.”
Finding a chosen family
It was around this time Martin started getting connected to the Milwaukee gay scene.
“I couldn’t wait until school let out. I would leave right away and make the pilgrimage to the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center with my friends and we would sit there for hours until the center closed,” he said.
“It wasn't just about hanging out—it was our safe place. It was where I felt I could be who I really was.”
And from there, Martin started branching out and hitting the clubs. That’s where he met his gay godparents and started forming his chosen family.
“I was 14, walking around Gayhawks [gay bar on the city’s North Side] with short fire-red hair, wearing lace-up pumps, a blue jean skirt, and a tank top,” he said.
That’s when he met his gay godparents, Eloise and Jan McPike, and their daughter, Tracy.
“Tracy looked at me and said, ‘You pretty! But you don’t belong here,’” Martin said.
They ended up taking Martin under their wing. Through the McPikes and others in the gay club scene Martin met Tyler Infinity, who became his “gay parent.”
Tyler told Martin, “You’re feisty. And you’re going to be my daughter. Your name’s going to be Kiki.”
Martin wasn’t thrilled with the name.
“But Tyler explained to me later that ‘Kiki’ was feisty, it was zesty. It became my alter ego,” Martin said.
“And Tyler was one of those gay parents who thought he was your real parent. If he saw you doing something out of line he would pop you upside the head and say, ‘Girl, get your life together.’”
“These folks taught me it was okay to be gay and be successful at the same time,” he said.
Finding success and charting a journey Martin was determined to be successful.
He served as a volunteer director at PrideFest for eight years, first handling volunteers and ultimately managing the health and wellness area.
Ritchie T. Martin Jr.
Ritchie T. Martin Jr.
Ritchie T. Martin Jr.
Ritchie T. Martin Jr.
Ritchie T. Martin Jr.
Ritchie T. Martin Jr.
Ritchie T. Martin Jr.
Ritchie T. Martin Jr.
