7 On Your Side gets back payment due to African drumming and dance teachers
EAST FLATBUSH, Brooklyn (WABC) -- As we wrap up celebrating Black History Month, a Brooklyn family teaching African dance and drumming in public schools lost its rhythm after not getting paid for nearly seven months.
Mother Shawne teaches dances and brother Nyemba is a wildly talented drummer. Not only do they teach the performance but the history and tradition behind African percussion as well.
But when they couldn't get payment, 7 On Your Side got involved so they could continue to do what they love.
The mother and son duo known as Team Seales is always on time with the beat.
"I feel music can be, you know, another outlet, you know, you know, to escape, to get away, and music saves lives too," Nyembah said.
With roots in the underground railroad which ran right through New York City, Shawne and Nyembah found a way to share their deep passion for the power of music.
They turned that love into a livelihood by teaching school children the history behind traditional African music and dance.
"In Africa they did everything to the rhythm," Shawne said.
Based in Brooklyn, they've have been working at brighter choice community school in Bedford-Stuyvesant for the last decade.
"You know, we love the school so much that our grand my grandchildren, went there. You know it. I love the community. I love what they stood for," she said.
However, after wrapping up their program in June of last year the payment on the last invoice went radio silent.
"Our results show that the children love it, they grow, they get, you know confident in what they do. It's disheartening to not get paid," she said.
And this was no small potatoes. Their company was out $10,000 for a semester's worth of sessions and a performance for both lower and upper grades.
"Put us in a hardship because, you know, everyone has bills, and i have children too on my own, so it's like a trickledown effect. So yes, I would like to continue to work, but at the same time, I have family to feed," Nyembah said.
After months of contacting the school and the city over and over, they were stuck on repeat.
"It was, it's very rough. It was extremely stressful and disheartening, because it hurt," Shawne said.
7 On Your Side contacted New York City Public Schools to set this record straight, and that's when we heard the sweet sound of success.
With their finances and their groove back, Team Seales drummed up a little something for us too.
"We have a genuine ride or die, it's Nina Pineda from 7 On Your Side," she sang.
7 On Your Side reached out to New York City Public Schools for a statement. They said,
"New York City Public Schools prides itself on working with community-based organizations to support additional enrichment for students. We immediately worked with the vendor to resolve this issue and as a result were able to process payment for the vendor last week."
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