In 2013, Kendi married Sadiqa Edmonds, a pediatric emergency medicine physician,[3] in Jamaica. Both sets of parents participated in a symbolic sand ceremony.[56] The wedding ceremony ended with a naming ceremony of their new last name, "Kendi", which means "the loved one" in the language of the Meru people of Kenya.[56] Kendi changed his middle name to Xolani, a Xhosa and Zulu word for "peace".[10][8]
In January 2018, a colonoscopy indicated that Kendi had cancer. A further test revealed that he had stage 4 colon cancer that had spread into his liver.[57] After six months of chemotherapy and surgery that summer, Kendi was declared cancer free.[58]
Kendi has been a vegan since at least 2015.[59]
