Emmany Makonga or, as he is formally known, Emmanuel Makonga, has lived a turbulent life. A Congolese comic book artist and political cartoonist, he knows well the struggle for democracy. He has survived terror to challenge repression, fought to conquer injustice, and reached out to the world to plead for preservation of the environment. This type of activism in one of the most violent countries of Africa was not easy and led to an exile that eventually brought Makonga to the United States.

Makonga is a talented artist who is exceptionally skilled in a variety of mediums, and he doesn't plan on restricting himself to just one part of his portfolio. He has an associate degree in graphic arts, but he is also an excellent self-taught person in painting, sculpture, and comic book illustration. He plans on producing political cartoons in the future.

Emmanuel Makonga's young desire to become an artist manifested itself in ways he could not have foreseen or planned. His vision has made him not only a great artist but a great man: a leader, an activist, a role model, an educator, and especially a man of vision. By following his impulse to practice what he loves, he has been able to affect millions in the third-largest country of Africa. Through Makonga's artistic talent, intellect, sense of humor, and vision, many people have found relief and, even more important, hope, without which nothing is possible.

Clark, Ehren "LA JOIE DE VIVRE: The life and Art of Emmanuel Makonga"