Joseph Kemp has been named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list 2025. Photo: Joseph Kemp
Dec. 17, 2024 By Colum Motherway
Joseph Kemp, a Queens native and resident of Long Island City, was recently named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for his work as CEO of Games that Matter LLC.
Games that Matter, a non-governmental organization (NGO), leverages gamification to drive positive change on critical issues, including climate, health, food security, child protection, and workplace safety. The organization strives to empower communities through knowledge while giving back in meaningful ways.
Their first title is a card game called “Disbarred,” a legal-themed party card game designed to make learning high-level law engaging and enjoyable. The game incorporates elements of pop culture, landmark cases, trust and estate law, criminal law, and more, blending education with entertainment.
Kemp, 29, co-founded the company with Rosedale resident Latoya Bethune, but she couldn’t be featured on the list as she is over 30 years old. He described ‘Disbarred’ as “like Cards Against Humanity but with a legal twist.”
“We also have a mission of giving back to organizations that support pre-law and law students trying to get into law school. Basically, it’s combining high-level learning and then using a portion of the proceeds to give back to the students,” Kemp explained.
Kemp used his own experience from studying for the bar exam to create this company. He reflected on how he would be studying for five to seven hours, five days a week, and the strain it was having on his life.
He imagined the learning process as a game, which is how the idea for ‘Disbarred’ was born. It then evolved into focusing on what all law students should know when studying for the bar exam.
“For me, I’m a lifelong gamer. I love board games, video games, and things like that, so that’s been a passion of mine. I’ve also been in education for about a decade now, so that’s also one of my passions. It was all of my passions coming together with my career aspirations,” Kemp said.
The duo has spent over a year developing the game and recently celebrated a successful Kickstarter campaign. While the product is still in its final stages of preparation, it has been fully funded, and they are excited to launch it next year.
It was a massive honor for Kemp to be named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. As a proud Queens resident, he was overjoyed to represent his community on such a large platform. He felt validated that his “leap of faith” to start this venture and make it his primary focus had paid off.
“I needed that validation to confirm that this is a good idea, and other people in the industry think that this is a good idea. We’re working on a great product that can provide a lot of impact,” Kemp added.
Forbes receives over 10,000 nominations each year for the list, and Kemp was recognized by editors and expert industry judges to be featured. The likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Rihanna and Donald Glover have all been featured on the list before.
‘Disbarred’ is available for pre-order now and can be purchased here for $39.99.
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