New Release
The World Where I Belong
If you've ever felt like you didn't belong in this world because of a norm you didn't fit into, this book is for you.
What do you do when people are moved with compassion and courage to share their stories after you've delivered your first TEDx talk? This is the question Niedre Heckman faced after she delivered a powerful keynote about the opportunity we all have to promote positivity in our uniqueness rather than spinning a negative narrative about those who seem not to fit the norm. As Niedre thought about the impact of those 9 minutes, she felt like there was so much more to say that really could help people. This led her to write a memoir.
Support Young Artists.
Carry Words That Inspire.
Meet Winter (8) and Malaysia (12), two incredible young artists with powerful talent and limitless potential. They’ve each created original artwork that now lives on beautiful magnets, stickers, and charms, paired with soulful words from The World Where I Belong, my memoir about identity, resilience, and healing.
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These art pieces are more than products.
They’re affirmations you can hold,
beauty you can share,
and hope you help nurture.
Every purchase:
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Supports young artists from underrepresented backgrounds
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Celebrates their gifts and confidence as they grow
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Spreads inspirational messages of belonging, strength, and love
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Shop the collection and make a difference.
Golden Leaves
Author Award 2025
Cal Poly Pomona Dean of College of Science with Niedre Heckman
About the Author
From the earliest days of her childhood, Niedre Heckman always felt as though she was living between worlds. As a Black woman born with white skin, her journey has been one of perpetual discovery and introspection, a quest for identity that led to the creation of her memoir, The World Where I Belong: My Quest for Identity As a Black Woman in White Skin. Throughout her life, she has faced the duality of belonging everywhere and nowhere, a complex experience that shaped her views on culture, race, family, and community. Her story resonates with anyone who has struggled with the question of identity, and her writing seeks to build a bridge for others in search of their own sense of belonging.
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Niedre's commitment to community and connection is evident throughout her career and philanthropic endeavors. She founded a scholarship program prioritizing passion, aptitude, and a commitment to giving back over academic accolades. The scholarship has been instrumental in providing opportunities to individuals who are motivated to pursue their dreams despite personal challenges. By emphasizing the importance of community contribution over GPA, Niedre hopes to empower those often overlooked by traditional academic metrics. She is passionate about supporting students whose potential is defined by their drive and compassion rather than their test scores.
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Niedre is also a seasoned scientist in the biotech industry, with a long history of inspiring teams and bringing life-sustaining treatments to people. She specializes in medical product development, including medical devices in combination with enzymes, antibodies, blood factors, and gene therapy to fulfill unmet medical needs. Her approach integrates manufacturing science and engineering concepts with public health principles, ultimately creating therapies that physiologically address disease states while attending to the psychosocial needs of patients.
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Niedre Heckman's work is a testament to the power of self-acceptance and the importance of community. Her writing is a call to action: To find one's place in the world and create spaces where others feel seen, heard, and valued.
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When she is not writing or working on her scholarship initiatives, Niedre enjoys connecting with nature, finding solace in its beauty and inspiration in its resilience. She firmly believes in storytelling's healing power and continues to share her journey in hopes that it will help others navigate their own. Her life is a journey of learning, growing, and giving—an expression of the belief that we all belong somewhere, even if that sense of belonging begins within ourselves.
About Yellow Owl Publishing
Yellow Owl Publishing is a business that aims to take pre-sales for an upcoming book, sell course materials and other documents, showcase the owner's writing and speaking engagements, and offer subscription services for exclusive content to connect with the audience. The unique selling point of the book is that it is told from the perspective of a happy-natured scientist who happens to be Black American with white skin and associated visual impairment due to albinism. The book discusses the experiences and lessons learned as the author realized that not belonging fully anywhere meant that they can belong everywhere. This is a powerful and unique story that sets it apart from others in the genre.
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