Joyce Adewumi is founder of the New York African Chorus Ensemble, the chairperson for the Arts and Culture Committee in Manhattan Community Board 9 and the vice president of the 30th Precinct Community Council.

Adewumi was born in Nigeria and moved to the South Bronx with her family when she was a little girl. She graduated from Music and Arts High School in Harlem. She continued her education in the U.S. and Nigeria. She has had experience working with various artists and teaching college students in Nigeria.

Adewumi founded the NYACE as a nonprofit organization in 2004. Throughout the year, students can participate in the programs’ workshops, conferences, seminars and festivals. The students range from children to adults of different ethnic backgrounds. The NYACE has won many prestigious awards for their conferences and festivals, such as the 2012 Blue Heart Award in Berlin, Germany, for organizing the Celebrate Diversity Celebrate You Multicultural Festival; a 2013 Congressional Proclamation from the United States House of Representatives given by former Congressman Charles Rangel and a 2014 citation from City Council Member Mark Levine.

Students learn about African culture in the Learn More About Your African Roots workshop. “The classes raise awareness about authentic African cultural practices and removes false and negative notions about Africa and my people,” Adewumi said. She is a strong believer in giving her students the historical context and meaning behind the African songs they perform.  “It is the wisdom of our ancestors as handed down from generation to generation,” she explained.

Adewumi also teaches aspiring entrepreneurs about owning their own businesses and getting street vendor licenses. 

“I enjoy watching my students’ gradual transformation,” Adewumi said when asked what she enjoyed most about educating her students. “The right education is the key to mental, spiritual and financial growth. I love to see an individual blossom after they find out who there are, their purpose in life, etc. The individual will now have the ability to focus on their work while having joy, success and fulfillment.” 

The NYACE also does charity work. Tuesdays, whether it’s food or necessities, participants are giving to the less fortunate. “Being involved in the NYACE means that you can make a difference in someone’s life,” said Adewumi, “We have programs where we serve our community to help the less fortunate and build a stronger unity.”

Because of the rising racial tension between the community and law enforcement, former Chief Phillip Banks III and other community leaders believed one way to resolve this issue is to create programs to address the issue. One of the suggestions was to have a multicultural festival. Adewumi and other organizers hoped that such a festival would bring people of all ethnic groups together and introduce them to African and multicultural music and culture. The first festival was held in 2010 at Jackie Robinson Park. At the festivals, more than 80 countries showcased, along with arts and crafts, food and merchandise vendors. 

Adewumi said, “It’s significant for people to have a multicultural festival because we are able to show how diverse NYC is. New York City has shown many examples when you open your arms to embrace all people, you will come up on top. We need programs which stress the fact that there is only one race, [the] human race! Racial prejudice is a poison that we must remove the fabric of our lives if we truly believe in God. As the elders before me have said before, we must see everyone as family regardless of skin color.”

As the chair of the Community Board 9 Arts and Culture Committee, Adewumi was invited to bring the festival by the Rev. Morgan-Thomas. And because of the many requests to make the festival a full month instead of one day, the committee received a Cultural Immigrant Initiative Grant from City Council Member Levine. Now the festival occurs on Saturdays in May and June at Jackie Robinson Park. “This festival is for the people and by the people, and we would like to thank Council Member Levine for helping our vision become a reality,” said Morgan-Thomas.

For more information about NYACE, go to nyafricanensemble.com.