Chioma Azi is a community advocate, attorney and a strong voice for the African community in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Chioma began her community advocacy work as a law student at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she represented impoverished clients with the Defenders Association of Philadelphia and the Office of the Public Defender of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She began her career as an attorney as a solo-practitioner handling a variety of legal matters including immigration, small business consulting and civil cases.
In 2012, Chioma joined as a staff attorney at the African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc. (ACANA), a community-based non-profit organization that assists African and Caribbean immigrants in their resettlement in the United States. Under her leadership, Chioma strengthened the organization by creating the legal department, taking a lead in grant writing, program development and implementation and by overseeing the revitalization of the arts and culture department. Solidifying her growing influence in African and Caribbean communities nationwide, Chioma now serves as National Legal Director with African Communities Together (ACT), a community-based organization that advocates for African immigrant rights and provides direct legal and social services to the community.
Chioma has consulted with various local government entities including the Philadelphia City Council and the administration of former Mayor Michael Nutter on immigration and employment law policy issues. In April 2021, she was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to the Pennsylvania Commission on African African-American Affairs.
In 2015, Chioma was the recipient of the Exemplary Service Award from the Nigerian Lawyers Association for her “demonstrated a commitment to public service and has used legal expertise and skills to serve the needs of the members of the community at large.”
In addition to her legal work, Chioma is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Philly Nigerian Professionals- a professional development and networking group that brings African students and professionals together for social, networking, charitable and volunteer events in and around the Philadelphia area. She is also a co-founder and executive director of the Norah Anena Foundation-a non-profit organization dedicated to uplifting young people of Ugandan descent through education, career development and cultural awareness.
Born to a Nigerian father and Ugandan mother in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Chioma still makes her home in Philadelphia with her husband and also splits time between Uganda and Nigeria.