Bumpers College Graduate Jankovska Publishes Books for Multicultural Children

Olivera Jankovska, creator of the "My Homeland" series, is a 2009 agricultural business graduate.

Olivera Jankovska, a U of A Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences graduate, published the "My Homeland" children's books series in November with a special goal in mind.

Books from the "My Homeland" series were written to celebrate multicultural children. They are designed to help children of multicultural backgrounds appreciate and share their heritage and culture. The first two books, My India: A Journey of Discovery, one for boys and one for girls, are written for children of Indian descent. Jankovska has already written others with My Macedonia and My Estonia scheduled to be released this summer.

Along with a story, the books also feature interactive activities and can be individualized to "empower children to be global citizens." From a larger perspective, the books promote diversity and work against what Jankovska refers to as "evil-isms" such as nationalism and racism. She hopes children, like her son, will be able to embrace their heritage.

"Successful diversity promotion and preservation starts with the youngest," Jankovska said. "I'd encourage every parent to seek stories and literature like the 'My Homeland' books that empower children to appreciate their cultural heritage."

Jankovska, a 2009 agricultural business graduate, found writing her series to be relatively easy, with the biggest challenge the publication process and the inclusion of interactivity. Her son was her "muse" as she wrote, making the process easier.

"The stories flow when you look into a child's eyes and see the strong desire to learn about themselves and the world," Jankovska said. "I have been polishing my stories for over three years before publication, as I intended to make each book a personalized journey of heritage discovery."

Jankovska has had positive feedback from readers and fans.

"I've had a very supportive group of fans," Jankovska said. "Some of the reviews had me in tears, especially when those came from young readers themselves."

Jankovska is a Fellow at Rice University. She was named to the United Macedonian Diaspora "40 Under 40" list in 2015.

She is a UNICEF USA Global Citizenship Fellow and travels the world supporting children in developing countries. Jankovska received the UNICEF USA President's Volunteer Service Award in 2017 and was the Bumpers College Alumni Society Outstanding Young Alumna in 2018.

The first two books of the "My Homeland" series are available on Amazon. More information on the series is available at atlasink.org.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2.7 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.