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Homeless 8-year-old refugee wins New York State chess championship, inspiring viral fundraiser
Paulina Cachero
Yahoo LifestyleMarch 18, 2019
Tanitoluwa Adewumi, 8, won big this week. (Photo: GoFundMe)
Tanitoluwa Adewumi just said checkmate.">Tanitoluwa Adewumi just said checkmate.
was crowned the New York State Primary Chess Champion in the kindergarten-to-third-grade bracket of the 52nd New York State Scholastic Championships. The elementary school student, better known as “Tani,” went undefeated at the championships, where he outsmarted opponents from top private schools with pricey chess tutors.
“I want to be the youngest grandmaster,” Tani told the New York Times.
Oluwatoyin Adewumi, reportedly takes him to free three-hour practice sessions in Harlem every Saturday, while his father, Kayode, allows him to play chess online on his laptop each evening.">Tani is well on his way to achieving that goal, as the third-grader has already established an unwavering dedication to improving his chess prowess. His mother, Oluwatoyin Adewumi, reportedly takes him to free three-hour practice sessions in Harlem every Saturday, while his father, Kayode, allows him to play chess online on his laptop each evening.
“He is so driven,” his school chess teacher, Shawn Martinez told the New York Times. “He does 10 times more chess puzzles than the average kid. He just wants to be better.” Martinez estimates that the youngster could achieve the chess master title in one to two years. The youngest chess grandmaster to-date earned the prestigious title at the age of 12.
In the brief year since Tani was first introduced to the game, the chess whiz has already collected seven trophies, and is one of the top players in the country for his age group. However, his path to becoming the New York State Primary Chess Champion has not been an easy one."> In the brief year since Tani was first introduced to the game, the chess whiz has already collected seven trophies, and is one of the top players in the country for his age group. However, his path to becoming the New York State Primary Chess Champion has not been an easy one.
New York Times. After arriving in New York City to seek asylum in the U.S., with his parents and older brother, the family soon moved into a homeless shelter. Tani began attending local New York elementary school P.S. 116, where he discovered his passion for the strategic board game.">Tani and his family fled from their home country of Nigeria in 2017, fearing the persecution of Christians by Boko Haram terrorists, reported theNew York Times. After arriving in New York City to seek asylum in the U.S., with his parents and older brother, the family soon moved into a homeless shelter. Tani began attending local New York elementary school P.S. 116, where he discovered his passion for the strategic board game.
Oluwatoyin to allow him to join the chess club, but his family was unable to afford the costs of the membership. After she sent an email to the chess program explaining their situation, Russell Makofsky, the man who oversees the P.S. 116 chess club, decided to waive Tani’s fees. According to Makofsky, the costs of the chess club can surpass the thousands with travel and chess camp admissions. ">Tani begged his mother Oluwatoyin to allow him to join the chess club, but his family was unable to afford the costs of the membership. After she sent an email to the chess program explaining their situation, Russell Makofsky, the man who oversees the P.S. 116 chess club, decided to waive Tani’s fees. According to Makofsky, the costs of the chess club can surpass the thousands with travel and chess camp admissions.
Tani IS ALL HEART!” Makofsky wrote on the campaign page. “Let’s all show our HEART and help Tani’s family secure a home where he can continue on his journey.”
Nigerian refugee family jobs, legal services, places to stay — and even a car for Tani’s father, who works as an Uber driver. ">Since starting the GoFundMe page on March 15, the campaign has exceeded its goal of $50,000, raising over $103,400 (and counting). Makofsky has received countless notes offering the Nigerian refugee family jobs, legal services, places to stay — and even a car for Tani’s father, who works as an Uber driver.
Adewumi family continues to live in a homeless shelter, Makofsky tells the New York Times, “‘Tani is rich beyond measure,’ in the strength, love and support of his family.”
He adds, “One year to get to this level, to climb a mountain and be the best of the best, without family resources. I’ve never seen it.”
Update: They were offered several apartments and accepted one near Tani's school. They donated 10% to their church as a tithe and donated the rest to help other African immigrants in the U.S. Article here: Opinion | Our Chess Champion Has a Home
Text of the article in post #47: Homeless 8 year old breh wins NY State Chess Championship gets fundraiser (update no longer homeless
Thanks for the update @Rhakim
Update 11-11-19 thanks to @Get These Nets
UPDATE
Homeless 8-Year Old Nigerian Chess Prodigy Who Won NY State Championship Checkmates Paramount Movie Deal With ‘Daily Show’s Trevor Noah Among Producers
November 1, 2019
Shutterstock
EXCLUSIVE: Paramount has acquired an untitled film project built around the Adewumi family. Living in a homeless center on religious asylum, 8-year-old Tani won the 2019 New York chess championship, despite only being introduced to the game two years earlier. The drama will be culled from three books on the family that have been set up at the HarperCollins imprint W Publishing.
Producing are Day Zero Productions’ Trevor Noah and Haroon Saleem, State Street Pictures’ George Tillman Jr. and Bob Teitel, and Mainstay Entertainment’s Norman Aladjem.
The drama will tell the story of a Nigerian family that escaped terrorism in their home country, sought and received asylum in America and — against all odds — found a welcoming new home in New York. It’s a story of love, peace, community and faith and the lengths parents will go to bring their family to safety and provide them a better life. Tani’s accomplishment went viral and the family’s story became an inspiration to many. The books will publish in spring 2020.
Noah, host, exec producer and writer of the Emmy and Peabody-winning The Daily Show, and his Day Zero partner Haroon Saleem are already in business with Aladjem’s Mainstay on an adaptation of Noah’s bestselling memoir Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood. That one is set at Paramount Players, and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o is attached to star. Day Zero and Mainstay are in prep for Noah’s untitled series for Quibi, which he will star in and produce.
State Street’s Teitel and Tillman most recently produced the acclaimed drama The Hate U Give, which Tillman directed. Jay Marcus will be exec producer and will oversee the project for State Street Pictures.
Paulina Cachero
Yahoo LifestyleMarch 18, 2019
Tanitoluwa Adewumi, 8, won big this week. (Photo: GoFundMe)
Tanitoluwa Adewumi just said checkmate.">Tanitoluwa Adewumi just said checkmate.
was crowned the New York State Primary Chess Champion in the kindergarten-to-third-grade bracket of the 52nd New York State Scholastic Championships. The elementary school student, better known as “Tani,” went undefeated at the championships, where he outsmarted opponents from top private schools with pricey chess tutors.
“I want to be the youngest grandmaster,” Tani told the New York Times.
Oluwatoyin Adewumi, reportedly takes him to free three-hour practice sessions in Harlem every Saturday, while his father, Kayode, allows him to play chess online on his laptop each evening.">Tani is well on his way to achieving that goal, as the third-grader has already established an unwavering dedication to improving his chess prowess. His mother, Oluwatoyin Adewumi, reportedly takes him to free three-hour practice sessions in Harlem every Saturday, while his father, Kayode, allows him to play chess online on his laptop each evening.
“He is so driven,” his school chess teacher, Shawn Martinez told the New York Times. “He does 10 times more chess puzzles than the average kid. He just wants to be better.” Martinez estimates that the youngster could achieve the chess master title in one to two years. The youngest chess grandmaster to-date earned the prestigious title at the age of 12.
In the brief year since Tani was first introduced to the game, the chess whiz has already collected seven trophies, and is one of the top players in the country for his age group. However, his path to becoming the New York State Primary Chess Champion has not been an easy one."> In the brief year since Tani was first introduced to the game, the chess whiz has already collected seven trophies, and is one of the top players in the country for his age group. However, his path to becoming the New York State Primary Chess Champion has not been an easy one.
New York Times. After arriving in New York City to seek asylum in the U.S., with his parents and older brother, the family soon moved into a homeless shelter. Tani began attending local New York elementary school P.S. 116, where he discovered his passion for the strategic board game.">Tani and his family fled from their home country of Nigeria in 2017, fearing the persecution of Christians by Boko Haram terrorists, reported theNew York Times. After arriving in New York City to seek asylum in the U.S., with his parents and older brother, the family soon moved into a homeless shelter. Tani began attending local New York elementary school P.S. 116, where he discovered his passion for the strategic board game.
Oluwatoyin to allow him to join the chess club, but his family was unable to afford the costs of the membership. After she sent an email to the chess program explaining their situation, Russell Makofsky, the man who oversees the P.S. 116 chess club, decided to waive Tani’s fees. According to Makofsky, the costs of the chess club can surpass the thousands with travel and chess camp admissions. ">Tani begged his mother Oluwatoyin to allow him to join the chess club, but his family was unable to afford the costs of the membership. After she sent an email to the chess program explaining their situation, Russell Makofsky, the man who oversees the P.S. 116 chess club, decided to waive Tani’s fees. According to Makofsky, the costs of the chess club can surpass the thousands with travel and chess camp admissions.
Tani IS ALL HEART!” Makofsky wrote on the campaign page. “Let’s all show our HEART and help Tani’s family secure a home where he can continue on his journey.”
Nigerian refugee family jobs, legal services, places to stay — and even a car for Tani’s father, who works as an Uber driver. ">Since starting the GoFundMe page on March 15, the campaign has exceeded its goal of $50,000, raising over $103,400 (and counting). Makofsky has received countless notes offering the Nigerian refugee family jobs, legal services, places to stay — and even a car for Tani’s father, who works as an Uber driver.
Adewumi family continues to live in a homeless shelter, Makofsky tells the New York Times, “‘Tani is rich beyond measure,’ in the strength, love and support of his family.”
He adds, “One year to get to this level, to climb a mountain and be the best of the best, without family resources. I’ve never seen it.”
Update: They were offered several apartments and accepted one near Tani's school. They donated 10% to their church as a tithe and donated the rest to help other African immigrants in the U.S. Article here: Opinion | Our Chess Champion Has a Home
Text of the article in post #47: Homeless 8 year old breh wins NY State Chess Championship gets fundraiser (update no longer homeless
Thanks for the update @Rhakim
Update 11-11-19 thanks to @Get These Nets
UPDATE
Homeless 8-Year Old Nigerian Chess Prodigy Who Won NY State Championship Checkmates Paramount Movie Deal With ‘Daily Show’s Trevor Noah Among Producers
November 1, 2019
Shutterstock
EXCLUSIVE: Paramount has acquired an untitled film project built around the Adewumi family. Living in a homeless center on religious asylum, 8-year-old Tani won the 2019 New York chess championship, despite only being introduced to the game two years earlier. The drama will be culled from three books on the family that have been set up at the HarperCollins imprint W Publishing.
Producing are Day Zero Productions’ Trevor Noah and Haroon Saleem, State Street Pictures’ George Tillman Jr. and Bob Teitel, and Mainstay Entertainment’s Norman Aladjem.
The drama will tell the story of a Nigerian family that escaped terrorism in their home country, sought and received asylum in America and — against all odds — found a welcoming new home in New York. It’s a story of love, peace, community and faith and the lengths parents will go to bring their family to safety and provide them a better life. Tani’s accomplishment went viral and the family’s story became an inspiration to many. The books will publish in spring 2020.
Noah, host, exec producer and writer of the Emmy and Peabody-winning The Daily Show, and his Day Zero partner Haroon Saleem are already in business with Aladjem’s Mainstay on an adaptation of Noah’s bestselling memoir Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood. That one is set at Paramount Players, and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o is attached to star. Day Zero and Mainstay are in prep for Noah’s untitled series for Quibi, which he will star in and produce.
State Street’s Teitel and Tillman most recently produced the acclaimed drama The Hate U Give, which Tillman directed. Jay Marcus will be exec producer and will oversee the project for State Street Pictures.
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