He was new to the school. He was new to the country. He was still fairly new to the world, really.
Tanitoluwa Adewumi was a 7-year-old Nigerian refugee living in New York, searching for something to satisfy his seemingly endless curiosity. Flyers filled the halls of P.S. 116 in Manhattan, offering recommendations. Two caught his attention.
Tae Kwon Do cost about $1,000 to join. The chess club sought $330. The lower price point made chess even more attractive.
“It was like, ‘Why not?’” Tani says now. “I didn’t have anything to do.”