Queen Diambi Was Welcomed Home to CUNY After Graduating from the College of Staten Island in 1992
Queen Diambi Kabatusuila Tshiyoyo Muata delivers passionate remarks.
Her Majesty Queen Diambi Kabatusuila Tshiyoyo Muata of the Bakwa Luntu People in the Democratic Republic of Congo visited New York City on November 11. Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez and the CUNY community welcomed her with a warm reception, followed by a spirited conversation with student leader Juvanie Piquant. Attendees left inspired by how Queen Diambi, who graduated from the College of Staten Island as valedictorian in 1992, used the knowledge she gained at CUNY to advocate for a more interconnected world.
Current College of Staten Island students enjoy meeting Queen Diambi
“I arrived in CUNY as a Congolese, I left as an African. Why? Because there I met a brilliant vibrant community of African American students, of Haitian students, Jamaican students, and students from all over the world for that matter. And we worked together, sitting around a table to try to figure out the world and what we wanted our world to be.” — Queen Diambi
Chancellor Matos Rodríguez presents Queen Diambi with an exclusive CUNY sweater and a bronze CUNY seal.
“Whether it’s addressing childhood mental health issues or helping people who struggle with addiction, or securing a brighter future for Africa through her foundation, Queen Diambi has committed her life to making the world a healthier and a better place to live for all people. The work you’re doing to elevate communities, to expand access to clean water, reliable healthcare and educational opportunities runs parallel to the work that CUNY is doing for the people of New York.” — Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez
Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright honors Queen Diambi with a New York State Assembly citation.
“When I came to the United States, when I came to CUNY, to CSI, I was placed in front of an amazing and abundant history. I was now recovering half of my story. Just as much as I had to give half of the story back to those who were descendants of African but left so long ago that they didn’t know how to reconnect back with themselves. So I realized the deficit I had. And guess who filled that deficit of knowledge? CUNY libraries. CUNY guest speakers. Those are the ones who opened up a new window in my brain to realize that there was, out there, an abundance of information that would help me restructure myself as an African woman.” — Queen Diambi
Queen Diambi and student leader Juvanie Piquant engage in conversation.
“We cannot be remiss to say that you are back home. You’re back home, where you first got your start. This is where everything began. This is where you were educated, you met your best friends that you’re still friends with today.” — Student Leader Juvanie Piquant
Queen Diambi greets the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities.
“This is what College of Staten Island did for me, to make sure that I felt I was part of a community. I was far, far away from home, far away from the language I knew, far away from my family, my parents, my friends, my culture, and yet again, the college provided me with a community, a new community. Just a few days ago, my son was getting married. And in that wedding were two other alumni of Staten Island that were my best friends then, and are still my best friends now. So that’s to tell you the kind of gifts I received beyond my degree.” — Queen Diambi
To see additional photos from the event, please visit our Flickr album here.
