A Family Remembers

Christina Kumi Kimball

December, 1954 - February, 2026

Calm, collected, and deeply committed — these were the unwavering traits of dancer, choreographer, director, artistic producer, and humanitarian Christina Kumi Kimball — our sister and Taaj’s beloved mother. She took flight from this earth on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026. She was 71.

Kumi was born in Otsu, Japan, on December 22, 1954, to Theodore Allen Kimball and Terumi Hirai Kimball, who met when Theodore was stationed there during the Korean War. She was one of five siblings: sisters Anna, Nora, and Kumi, and brothers Teiji and the late Masuyuki. We grew up the product of two cultures — and are better for it.

Aesthetics and artistry have always been part of our family. It is in our blood. That creative lineage continues today in Kumi’s multi-talented son, Taaj Sallid.

Kumi earned a training scholarship with Arthur Mitchell’s Dance Theatre of Harlem and began her professional career as a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the George Faison Universal Dance Experience. She was the original Cassandra in the Broadway musical Cats. She appeared in The Wiz, Peter Pan, and danced in Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Cotton Club and the film adaptation of The Wiz. In Sir Peter Hall’s production of Macbeth at the Metropolitan Opera, she portrayed Hecate.

She later expanded her creative reach into choreography, directing, and producing. Her credits include assistant choreographer for the film A Rage in Harlem, starring Danny Glover and Gregory Hines; associate choreographer for the title sequence of the hit film Sister Act 2; and assistant choreographer for Vinyl, a Broadway presentation featuring the music of American composers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, writers of the Elvis Presley hit “Hound Dog.”

In her 40s, Kumi turned her attention to artistic producing and business leadership. As CEO and Partner of Jensen Holdings, Ltd. (1995–2005), she worked alongside designer Craig Taylor, whose “men’s shirts for women” became sought-after examples of tailoring excellence and craftsmanship.

While working with Craig Taylor, she mentored a driven young protégé, insisting she learn every department of the company from the ground up. In a bold act of belief, Kumi eventually fired her — encouraging her to build her own company. Rebecca Minkoff did just that, becoming an internationally acclaimed designer and respected entrepreneur.

In 2001, Kumi became Executive Director and General Manager for music icon Isaac Hayes. She orchestrated every aspect of his empire — from live performances to day-to-day brand management — sustaining the legacy of the man known as “Black Moses.”

From 2009 forward, Kumi collaborated with a wide range of artists, designers, and producers on branding, marketing, and development initiatives. She was a trusted sounding board and creative catalyst throughout her life. Her calm assurance and fierce commitment defined every Kumi collaboration.

For the last 13 years of her life, Kumi devoted her energy and artistry to a lifelong vision: fostering a rebirth of the Black genius that flourished in the 1920s and 1930s above New York City’s 110th Street — the era known forever as the Harlem Renaissance. Her dream was to rekindle and nurture a culture that would inspire new giants like those whose names still echo along 125th Street: Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, W.E.B. Du Bois, Cab Calloway, Josephine Baker, and Aaron Douglas.

In 2013, she became Executive Director of the Church of Scientology Foundation Harlem and its Community Center, where she welcomed more than 15,000 people through its doors. Through shows, seminars, lectures, and over 22 courses designed to help individuals improve their lives with practical tools while maintaining personal integrity, her focus remained constant: helping people. That was her driving force.

With that drive came elegance and grace. Whether center stage, backstage, or in the boardroom, Kumi carried a clear-headed approach to both business and the arts. Her work continues through those she inspired. Her family and many friends will see to that.

To our incredible sister and beloved mother — you are with us always. We will see you later.

Taaj, Teiji Sr., Nora, Anna

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