Yemi Adenuga is a woman with a clear sense of purpose. The first Black person to hold elected office in Ireland’s history — she is of Nigerian descent — Adenuga represents a diverse district on Meath County Council near Navan, a small town northeast of Dublin.
“Because of my own journey as a migrant to Ireland, and as someone who has navigated systems of exclusion, I aim to help people reclaim their dignity, their purpose, and their belonging,” she says.
That purpose is firmly rooted in what Adenuga calls her “ministry”: her influence as a groundbreaking public servant, her drive to help the disenfranchised, and her deep Christian faith.
“My ministry seeks to reach people where they are: in schools, in local communities, in local government, through coaching, mentoring, and public representation,” she says. “Part of my ministry is giving voice to those who are marginalized, creating safe spaces for dialogue, and bridging divides.”
Adenuga is just one of the Champions of Faith, “unsung sheroes,” being celebrated in the 10th Annual Unsung Sheroes Gala, Oct. 17, in New York City.
The other honorees include Dr. Monique Fortune, assistant digital minister at Middle Collegiate Church in New York City’s East Village; Mercedes Nesfield, 92, Harlem’s own “village mother,” who mentors local youth; and Elder Vernita Josey of Franciscan Handmaids of Mary Pure Heart, the nation’s oldest order of Black nuns. Its history spans more than a century in Harlem by way of Nassau, Bahamas.
All of the honorees have more than 20 years of service to their communities.
Shining a Light on Unrecognized Leadership
The catalyst for the celebration is Rev. Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, also known as “America’s Chaplain.”
Johnson Cook is a trailblazer in her own right: she was the New York City Police Department’s first Black woman chaplain, ministered to the department during 9/11, and served as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom during the Obama administration. As the leader of Women in Ministry International, or WIMIN, she has made it her mission to identify and honor women who are global agents for change.
Together with the R.E.A.L. Black Women in Ministry and Women on the Worldstage, the Unsung Sheroes gala “has grown into an international celebration,” Johnson Cook says. The goal, she says, is to “[shine] a light on those whose leadership often goes unrecognized, but whose impact has been profound.”
The group of honorees, she says, represents faith paired with influence, stretching “from Harlem to Ireland to the Bahamas,” Johnson Cook says.“These remarkable diasporan leaders have stood on the frontlines of service, ensuring that their communities are cared for — mind, body, and soul.”
For Adenuga, the Irish politician, the honor of being selected is “a reminder that the work is making a difference.” That is particularly true for a Black woman in an overwhelmingly white country like Ireland.
Seeds Being Sown
“Sometimes the journey can be tough, and moments like this encourage me to keep going,” says Adenuga, who has launched a coalition of elected officials to fight the racism she encountered on the campaign trail. “It tells me that the seeds being sown in Ireland and beyond are bearing fruit that others can see.”
“Most of all, it humbles me, because I know none of this is by my strength alone,” she says. “It’s God’s grace, my family’s support, and the many people who walk this journey with me. This recognition is a call to keep serving, with even greater love and commitment.”
