Youma Diabira

Xavier University Senior, Youma A. Diabira, is an activist, community organizer, and currently serves as the 89th Miss Xavier University of Louisiana. She is pursuing a degree in English Education and is dedicated to becoming a lifelong educator. As the chair of the 2024-2025 Royal Court, themed "Royalty Reimagined," Youma spearheaded the creation of Xavier's Auxiliary Court and Royal Council. Alongside her role as Miss Xavier, she serves as a sexual assault peer health educator and is a member of The Gamma Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., among other organizations.

In her leadership roles, Youma has also established herself as an emerging educator. She has taught through STEM NOLA, participated in teaching fellowships with Breakthrough Birmingham and Uncommon Schools, and worked as a teaching assistant for 1st grade at The University of Ghana Basic School. After graduation, she plans to merge her passion for education and community organizing by pursuing a career in secondary and higher education.

Youma's many accolades include being named a 2023-2024 HBCU White House Scholar and earning the 2023 M.A.X. Community Impact Award, the 2023 "Young, Gifted, & XU" Award, and the 2023 Women Empowering Nations x Cantu Beauty GLOW Global Cohort recognition. She was also honored as the 2023 Women of Xavier Leader of the Year and received the 2023 Council of the Year Award. Her academic achievements include the 2023 Educational Testing Services HBCU Presidential Scholarship, recognition as a 2022-2025 McNair Scholar, the 2022 Truman Capote Creative Writing Award, and her 2022 induction into the NSLS Honor Society. Earlier accolades include the 2020 Scholastic Arts & Writing Silver Key Award, the 2021 Princeton Prize in Race Relations Certificate of Achievement, and the 2021 Disharoon Award from Central High School in Philadelphia.

The Reimagined Administration