Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga

Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga is a dancer, choreographer, director and founder of a nonprofit performing arts organization, the OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center (OrigiNation), in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. The cultural center offers dance arts and leadership programming to youth in the neighborhoods of Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan.

Background and education Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga is of Congolese descent. She was born to Rev. Dr. Dibinga and Dr. Ngolela Dibinga, immigrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Shaumba-Yandje formed the cultural center to support youth with similar experiences.

Career Shaumba-Yandje Dbinga founded OrigiNation in 1994. OrigiNation students organized rallies to bring awareness to police brutality in the Roxbury neighborhood after the murder of George Floyd. OrigiNation held a Kwanzaa performance at the Kennedy Center in 2024. The dance company also held a Kwanzaa performance at the Roxbury Community College in 2025.

Honors and awards The Barr Foundation named Shaumba-Yandje Dinbiga to its 2011 class of fellows. Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga was given the Community Service Award by Roxbury Community College in 2024. She has also been awarded by the Boston branch of the NAACP and the Berklee College of Music.