Eight-Year Old Nigerian Chess Champion
My son-in-law Kelvin posted a Facebook link to this heart-warming story about a eight-year old boy who has become a chess champion. He just learned to play a little over a year ago!
Nicholas Kristof wrote about him in The New York Times on March 16. After Kristof reminds readers of the advantages, both legal and not, of wealthy well-connected students, he relates the story of Tani, as the boy is known.
Photo by Christopher Lee for The New York Times, Tani with his award
He’s a refugee from Nigeria and lives in a homeless shelter in Manhattan, with no advantages except strong parents.
“So we should all grin along with Tanitoluwa Adewumi, the newly crowned chess champion for kindergarten through third grade. He went undefeated at the state tournament last weekend, outwitting children from elite private schools with private chess tutors,” Kristof says.
Tani attends a public school where there is a chess club. His mom emailed the club to explain that her son was eager to join but they could not pay the fee. Russell Makofsky who oversees the program waived the fee. Tani hasn’t looked back!
He spends hours working on his game. “He lies on the floor of the shelter and practices chess for hours each evening — now preparing for the elementary national championship in May,” Kristof says.
Tani had accumulated several trophies already, before this one. And he’s planning for more. Meanwhile, his family is awaiting their asylum hearing in August.
Kristof ends with, “Tani is a reminder that refugees enrich this nation — and that talent is universal, even if opportunity is not.”
Another Young Nigerian Champion
Tayei with her gold medal
Stand and Speak
Every once in a while I come across a statement or quote with a message I find important. This was at the end of an email from Harold Bailey, our TEAM Westport Chair. He was forwarding an announcement of a meeting of “Connecticut Undoing Racism” – Stamford Connecticut’s “Dialogue on Race.”
”Somebody has to stand when other people are sitting. Somebody has to speak when other people are quiet.”— Bryan Stevenson, civil rights attorney and author of Just Mercy.
I couldn’t go to the meeting – my book group met the same evening. But I would like to go to one of their events. I hope there will be another soon that I can attend.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
On Amazon I found that Just Mercy is a #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time.” Have you read it? Heard of it? I haven’t.
The site also tells me that the book is “SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING MICHAEL B. JORDAN AND JAMIE FOXX.”
The author has also given a TED talk.
I’ll see if one of my book groups will consider reading Just Mercy, and I’ll watch for the movie.
Read and Reflect
It was my turn to give the closing words for our board meeting at The Unitarian Church in Westport on Tuesday night.
ICCR Booklet of readings
I turned to a small book of readings I compiled in November 2001 for the 30th Anniversary of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, ICCR. I wrote on the first page, “We dedicate this booklet to the victims of the September 11th attacks, their families and their friends. We affirm God’s way of peace, justice and reconciliation.”
Why pearls on the cover? What do you think?
In honor of the Muslim victims of the killings in New Zealand, I read two pieces from Islamic writing. The second is a prayer. Even though not all Unitarians subscribe to a belief in God or Allah, I still felt it was relevant for us at this time.
Save us, our compassionate Lord, from our folly by your wisdom, from our arrogance by your forgiving love, from our greed by your infinite bounty, and from our insecurity by your healing power.
3 Comments
Leave a reply →