Tani Adewumi is making the American dream come true. A story by Nicholas Kristof back in 2019 published in NY Times, featuring a homeless young Chess player winning the New York State K-3 scholastic championship, led to a series of events that spell a bright future for Tanitoluwa “Tani” Adewumi.

At age 10, Tani Adewumi became a National Chess Master! Congratulations, Tani!

Nicholas Kristof comments,

Tani is a reminder: Talent is universal, but opportunity is not. He was lucky that his homeless shelter was near a school with a chess program. It waived the chess club fees for him. He’s also a reminder that refugees enrich our country (I say that as the son of a refugee).

Nikolas Kristof on Twitter

Here is the first article on Tani by Nicholas Kristof: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/16/opinion/sunday/chess-champion-8-year-old-homeless-refugee-.html

And here is the follow up, where kind NY Times readers provided shelter: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/23/opinion/sunday/homeless-chess-champion-tani.html

The Tani Adewumi story by CBS

Tani Adewumi interview with Maurice Ashley during the US Chess Championships

Tani Adewumi was interviewed during the US Chess Championships by Maurice Ashley.

See also: Maurice Ashley coaching Will Smith