Tag: Macedonian-American

Categories
UMD Voice

UMD’s Generation M Expands Australian and European Branches; Appoints Senior Advisor

Generation M, the United Macedonian Diaspora’s (UMD) young leaders program is proud to announce the newest additions to their global leadership team. The newly appointed Representatives and Senior Advisor along with Generation M’s current Board of Directors actively promote the education, empowerment, and unification of Macedonian youth around the world.

The Generation M team has sought inspiration in these uncertain and changing times by strengthening their digital footprint and relations. Recently, Generation M has brought young Macedonians together through social networking events such as online Zoom sessions focusing on personal finance, Macedonian culture, and history, as well as a Macedonian Virtual Trivia night. Generation M has also launched their first-ever mentorship program where they will match young professionals with experienced Macedonians in their field.

Through this expansion and the ongoing commitment of UMD Generation M members, Macedonians around the world will find a community that perseveres during an unprecedented period such as this. One that persists together.

We encourage all young Macedonians to join the ranks of Generation M to continue the advancement of our culture and identity. Email us at generationm@umdiaspora.org to get involved!

To learn more about Generation M you may check out our website by visiting www.generationm.org.

Presenting the newest additions to our team:

UMD’s Generation M has appointed its first-ever representative in Solun, modern-day Greece. For their safety, their identity will be kept anonymous. The Generation M team is overjoyed to have this individual on board and looks forward to continuing to preserve our heritage in such an important and sensitive geographical location for all Macedonians.

Marija Anevska

Vice Chair, Australian Operations

Marija Anevska was born in Melbourne with roots from Bitola, Ohrid, and Mala Prespa. She graduated in 2016 with a B.A from The University of Melbourne, double majoring in Politics & International Studies and Psychology. She is currently in her final year of the Melbourne Juris Doctor. 

As a proud, first-generation Macedonian-Australian, she is excited to see Gen M grow in Australia, continuing to spread our Macedonian cause and culture. 

Izabela Barakovska

Regional Representative, Perth, Australia

Izabela is a first-generation Australian-Macedonian, born in Perth with a heritage from Prilep and Berovo. She has proudly grown up with one foot in each culture and appreciates the perspective and passion it has given her for multiculturalism and international relations, and the interconnected nature of people, languages, culture, history, art, architecture and politics. 

Finishing her secondary education by attending the 2019 United Nations Youth Australia Young Diplomat’s European Tour opened her eyes to various international organisations and issues – the very same which she aims to spend her professional life working in and with. She is currently undertaking her B.A. from The University of Western Australia, majoring in Political Science & International Relations and Management. 

Izabela’s Generation M experience began in 2019 as the Perth Regional Representative. Her current aim is to further establish the Western Australian division of Gen M. 

She loves asking questions and strongly backs their capacity for disillusionment, education, character building, and life-changing conversations. Her experience in public relations, marketing, and journalism over the last half-decade, seamlessly complements her ambitions to improve awareness, opportunities, communication, and engagement (regarding politics, multiculturalism, education, and leadership alike) in local and international communities.

Mitch Belichovski

National Advisor, Australia

Mitch Belichovski joined UMD in 2019. Born and bred in Australia with roots in “Lerinsko”, Aegean Macedonia. He recently achieved his Master of Finance from RMIT in Melbourne and works as a financial adviser at Australia’s largest stockbroking firm. 

Having worked previously at a Macedonian Human Rights organisation he brings experience and a passionate mindset. He hopes to help protect Macedonia’s sovereignty and work towards the recognition of Macedonian minorities in Greece and Bulgaria. In his spare time, Mitch enjoys networking, traveling, and spending time with loved ones.

Filip Jotevski

Senior Advisor

Filip Jotevski is a proud, first-generation Macedonian-American born in Columbus, Ohio with roots from Bitola, Macedonia. Filip lives in Washington, D.C. where he is an Associate Director at the Democratic National Committee. 

He first got his start with Generation M as an International Policy and Diplomacy Fellow for the United Macedonian Diaspora where he helped kick-start the Macedonian youth movement as its first Global Chair in 2015. Following the successes of launching in Canada and the United States, he was then an inaugural participant of Birthright Macedonia where he worked in the Cabinet of Jerry Naumoff, Minister for Foreign Investments, in Skopje.

Filip aims to use his experience in politics and government to advance the Macedonian cause and inspire young Macedonians around the world to do the same. 

He enjoys traveling, playing rugby, and re-watching the Alexander movie on a monthly basis.

Elena Sekulovska

Regional Representative, Melbourne, Australia

Born in Bitola, Elena Sekulovska moved to Melbourne at the age of 10. She is currently in her second year of Bachelor of Arts, she is double majoring in History and Politics & International Studies at the University of Melbourne.  After she completes her degree, Elena aims to earn a Masters degree in International Relations and hopes to pursue a career in either diplomacy, public service, or academia.

Elena has a range of interests which include history, international relations, politics, geography, and learning new languages. She is the current Vice President of the Melbourne University Macedonian Students Society. 

‘I joined Generation M because I believe that Macedonians as a whole cannot advance Macedonian interests without youth engagement, as the future continues from them. Young Macedonians from the diaspora must engage in diplomacy, business, networking and social events which help them solidify their heritage in order to advance Macedonian interests – Generation M is the perfect platform for this.’

Stefani Taskova Miteva

Secretary, Board of Directors; Chair, Australian Operations

Stefani Taskova Miteva is a second-generation Australian-Macedonian born in Melbourne with roots from Veles and Aegean Macedonia. She graduated from Monash University in 2019 with a B.A majoring in International Relations (IR) and Human Rights and is currently pursuing her Masters in IR. Macedonia has always been a big passion of Stefani’s, who has always wanted to live a part of her life there. After completing Birthright Macedonia in 2019, this became a reality. 

She hopes to continue empowering young Macedonians around the world, so that we may all leave a better impact.

‘UMD and Birthright Macedonia have opened doors for me, and my love for Macedonia continues to grow.’

—

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.

Categories
UMD Voice

The Future of Macedonian — American Economic Relations

In the 24 years since Macedonia and the United States established full diplomatic ties, Macedonia-U.S. commercial relations are growing on a slow, but steady pace. Last year, bilateral trade in goods hit $394.8 million, which indicates a slow rise since diplomatic relations were forged. In comparison, Greece managed to secure economic trade of $2.65 billion with the United States in the same period. Even though economic trade is a single indicator, it is a strong reflection of the slow integration of Macedonia’s economy in the world economy.

As Macedonia’s path to NATO is inevitable, we can utilize the stability to explore options that will bring a greater amount of U.S. business to Macedonia and vice versa. A comprehensive free trade agreement between the two countries secures the progression of business endeavors that will yield economic results and progress.

Macedonia has a great deal to offer to the U.S.: low taxes of 10% on personal and corporate income, competitive wages, stable currency pegged to the euro, open economy that welcomes foreign direct investment and trade, EU and NATO candidate country, low inflation, and a young workforce fluent in English.

As a result of the transition period of the 1990s, countless large factories and facilities were abandoned, providing opportunities for the construction and building materials sector. Some of these abandoned factories can be reorganized and rebuilt to use robotics, which would lead to well-paid jobs for a number of highly educated people. Cooperation in the agricultural sector with American companies and the introduction of advanced agricultural techniques will help to convert raw materials into finished products in order to obtain higher market prices. The textile industry can be used to create clothing for many well-known American brands. Call centers and freelancers are among the main working roles that can be used to intensify Macedonian-American commercial interests. As the economy moves towards digitization, creating opportunities that will adapt to these factors will further develop relationships.

The goal of Macedonia in terms of trade relations with the United States should be deep and broad cooperation that will transform it into a country with a modern and prosperous economy. Approaching individual companies and municipalities in the United States must be a priority to convey know-how and diverse opportunities for the country. In addition, undertaking further activities for engaging communities where Macedonians are present will lead to new partnerships and commercial opportunities.

Engaging with energy entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and his company Tesla to turn Macedonia into a 100% energy independent country (through the same concept as Hawaii), would position Macedonia in a marketing sense, opening new opportunities in an underdeveloped sector. Having a single call center that would work for US technology giants such as Amazon and eBay will create a stable income for many families working in the technology and communication sectors.

The vision of a modern, prosperous and stable Macedonia may seem overly optimistic in the short term as there are several setbacks that must be addressed including: rule of law and corruption, slow judicial processes, complex bureaucracy, lack of infrastructure, political interference, contradicting legislation and regulation. These setbacks require immediate action by both the legislative and judicial branches.

Overall, the benefits of the above proposed cooperation between the two countries can be observed in the next decade, with potential bilateral trade and investments that would reach up to $2 billion, as Macedonian-American cooperation has wide and still unexplored perspectives.

—

Any opinions or views expressed in articles or other pieces appearing in UMD Voice are those of the author or interviewees alone and are not necessarily those of the United Macedonian Diaspora and its young leaders’ program Generation M; the appearance of any such opinions or views in UMD Voice is not and should not be considered to be an endorsement by or approval of the same by UMD and Generation M.

Categories
UMD Voice

Advocacy in D.C. for Macedonians is Needed Now Than Ever Before

Abraham Lincoln once said, “the government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.” This most sincere description of what democracy looks like reigns supreme not just here in the United States, but in any nation state around the world where the ship steers according to the will of the people.

The will of the people is why we Macedonians here in the United States, and abroad, are ignited to fight like never before for our fellow Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia. Like UMD says, United, We Can. In 2019, let’s also say United, We Will!

I am a member of UMD and live in the Cleveland, Ohio area. I visited Washington D.C. on January 3, 2019 to visit and meet with members of the US Congress and staff. Leadership, staff and members of the United Macedonian Diaspora accompanied me. This particular date was the day of the swearing in ceremonies for the newly elected and re-elected members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. 

During my visit, I also stopped by the UMD Office. I was amazed at how close the UMD Headquarters is to the White House. This reminded me of how vital it is for Macedonians to have a seat at the table in our nation’s capital and I applaud UMD for how many connections they have worked to create in Washington D.C. over the years.

When we got to Capitol Hill that day, the halls were full of excitement. There were people from all different walks of life who came to meet these public officials and their staff. Being on Capitol Hill is always humbling. It serves as a reminder to be proud to be a U.S. Citizen and proud of what our country stands for. It’s also a terrific opportunity to make a good impression of the Macedonian Community. Our UMD crew visited several offices and met even more people from both sides of the aisle. My hope is that in two years we will have a large crowd attend this special event because it truly is a wonderful experience. 

Whether it’s on a day like January 3rd, or a meeting at the home office, meeting with these public pfficials and their staff is important because they need to hear from us and put a face with a name of the Macedonian Community. It really does make a difference.

Many people believe there is not much that can be done from here in the U.S. If you think that the battleground of the cultural war for Macedonia’s Sovereignty, Self Determination and Security is fought only in Macedonia you are wrong. It’s fought here in the United States of America in more ways than one. I have a perfect example of an event that happened on the day I was on Capitol Hill, which proves this point.  While we were getting in the elevator in one of the buildings which houses the offices of members of Congress, a large group of “lobbyists” from a neighboring country of Macedonia were in the hallway. They were there for the same reasons we were, but their interests are not supportive of the Macedonian people.

This is exactly why advocating on behalf of Macedonians is critical.

The United Macedonian Diaspora’s Headquarters may be in Washington D.C, but I like to think they have satellite offices in every home of every Macedonian in the United States. 

Let’s make 2019 the year for the Macedonian voice to be heard loud and clear in our homes, in our hearts, and in the ears of our elected public officials.  


—

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.

Categories
UMD Voice

UMD Voice Interview: Dukyan – Luxury Fashion Label by Elena Dunovska and Nikol Mitanoska

Generation M’s Global Co-Chair, Kristina Dimitrievski interviewed Elena Dunovska and Nikol Mitanoska, Co-Founders of Dukyan, a luxury fashion brand whose focus is on true statement pieces – tailored with strong lines, a feminine touch, and a sense of quality that transcends, season after season. Dukyan’s purpose is to encourage women across the globe to break barriers and be the best version of themselves. In an era where it’s of utmost importance to showcase support for women worldwide, Elena and Nikol believe that these distinct designs will allow women the freedom to express their truths, their way. Read on to learn about the genius behind Dukyan.

Tell me a little about yourselves: Elena, you were raised in Florida and Nikol you in Ohio?

Elena: I was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, attended school and graduated from Broward College. My entire career has been predominantly in the fashion industry. I have always had a passion for this, especially the luxury industry and made it a point in my life to one day work for one of these luxury fashion houses. My dream would come to fruition when I landed my first luxury fashion house, Louis Vuitton. It has been an amazing journey working with some prestigious fashion labels over the passed 8 years, but it was over this time period that I finally summed up the courage to venture out with Dukyan. Today, I currently reside in Chicago, IL with my husband Mihajlo and son Valentin.

Nikol:  I was born in the western suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio and finished my undergrad at The Ohio State University. Since a child, I knew that I wanted to work and be a part of the fashion industry. Every day getting ready for school was chaos (sorry mom). I would not leave the house until I got to wear whatever it was that I wanted. My mom would eventually understand my need for self expression and allowed me not only to pick my daily outfits but also choose what clothes she would buy for me. Having relocated from Columbus, Ohio to New York City and then finally to Chicago, the beginning of my professional career started in retail working for companies such as Michael Kors. In 2014, I felt that I needed a change in my career path and accepted an amazing opportunity in the ad agency world. I worked with McDonald’s as a client until July of 2018 and am ever so grateful for the experience but also so excited to be on this new journey with Dukyan. Like Elena, I too live in Chicago, IL with my husband Zlatko.

You are both first-generation Macedonian-Americans?

Elena: Yes, my father first came in 1978 straight to Florida from Struga. This was not typical at the time since so many Macedonian immigrants first settled in the US in the northern states. My father flew back to Belgrade, Serbia in 1986 and met my mother through mutual friends. My mother who is from Ohrid, would eventually join my father in Florida in 1987 to begin their lives together. They would go on to have two children, myself and my younger brother.

Nikol: My parents, interestingly enough, come from the small village of Nakolec, which is located in the Prespa region of Macedonia. My father moved to Ohio in 1976 and it wasn’t until 1985 that he would be reacquainted with my mother at a wedding in the village. After a year of writing letters back and forth, my mother would join my father in America, where they would get married and start a family.

Did your parents instil in you a very conscious connection with your Macedonian heritage?  

Elena: My mother was actually a huge part in my Macedonian upbringing. She came here like many not knowing English and with that only spoke to us in Macedonian at home. My parents both made it a priority to send us to Macedonia almost every summer as children. My mother was extremely proud of where she came from and wanted to show us that although the US was a great country, Macedonia was a beautiful country, with a rich history like no other.

Nikol:  My mom also did not know English when she first came here so the first 6 years of my life were spent speaking solely Macedonian. It wasn’t until I began school did I learn to speak English. My parents, although very proud of where they come from, never forced the culture onto us. I was brought up in a household with rather modern views on this topic. My love for my Macedonian heritage started developing on my own terms and in my own way during my teenage years.

Do you visit Macedonia frequently and have family connections there?

Elena: My summers I spent with my grandparents in Ohrid along side my aunt, uncle and cousins. I spent almost every summer in Macedonia going into my teenage and adult years.

Nikol: Since the age of 16, I have visited Macedonia almost every year, sometimes even twice a year. Between my parents planning their retirement and having a lot of family and friends that still live there, my connection with Macedonia will always be very strong.

How did you two become connected?

Nikol & Elena: Our parents were introduced through mutual friends. We ended up staying in contact through the years. Now you have to realize this was before the time of social media, so in order to stay in contact you really had to want to. There was just something that clicked between us that made us not only stay in constant communication but we also made it a point to see each other as often as possible. Macedonia was a major connecting point for both of us.

You have both worked with very prestigious fashion labels: how have these experiences influenced your own brand?

Nikol: Working with Michael Kors we both learned the value of building real relationships with clients. Clienteling was a means of not just selling something to another person walking through the door, rather a means of getting to know this person and connecting their lifestyle with the brand. Michael Kors, at the time, had successfully developed a niche within the fashion industry where he learned how to make affordable luxury pieces accessible to every day women. When creating Dukyan we were both conscious of implementing these strategies into our brand’s culture.

Elena: Like Michael Kors, LVMH focused on their clientele but on an exceptional scale. I never knew that clienteling could be taken to another level. LVMH is known for being a lavish brand, and with a lavish brand come lavish experiences. LVMH knows that their clients are not just anyone and for the most part are a brand that caters to the elite. Louis Vuitton would take their most loyal, top clients on luxury yachts and tropical getaways in return those clients would always come back to Vuitton. I know that Dukyan is very far from this but I do know that the fashion world is an extremely competitive industry where we must continue creating in order to remain relevant.

What inspired you to create your own brand and what is unique about your fashion pieces?

Nikol: Being a naturally quiet person, I had to find a way to voice who I am, without having to say anything at all. With my extensive background in fashion from a young age, I always knew how to stand out in the crowd and express who I am through clothing and piecing everything together. When the idea of Dukyan came about, we both knew that the pieces had to be one-of-a-kind. Our collection would be a grouping of statement makers, focused on high quality styles that would transcend season after season. In my lifetime, I have only chosen pieces that were distinctive and could be styled multiple ways, this was the foundation for Dukyan. Elena and I have always toyed with the idea of creating our own fashion label. It wasn’t until the beginning of this year that we decided to take action. We both were at a crossroads with our professional lives and knew that we had the potential to create something more. After many sleepless nights of strategizing how this would become, we decided to leave our full time jobs to make our dream a reality.

What influences do you draw on to inspire your designs in your new brand?

Elena: We were influenced by the growing luxury market and finding our niche in it by offering affordable designs. What makes us luxurious is that all of our outerwear selection is made from exclusive leathers, furs, and wools. Our handbags are handcrafted with the finest calf leather; And our jewelry is 100% silver. We obviously realize that there are a lot of differences on the topic of using fur in clothing, but most may not know the benefits. Many are unaware that, first and foremost, fur is considered to be a sustainable use of renewable resources, a principle promoted by world wildfire organizations. Not only does it have a luxurious look and feel, fur is a natural fiber which can be recycled, updated and restyled time and time again. Unfortunately, just because a piece of fashion is animal free doesn’t mean that it’s not hurting animals in more underhanded ways. Real fur, since it is organic in nature, will eventually biodegrade; Faux fur is essentially just plastic spun into thread and plastic can take anywhere from 500 to 1000 years to biodegrade. Along with the importance of quality textiles, our inspiration comes from being European. European means being effortlessly elegant, showcased in Dukyan’s Fall/Winter Collection with strong tailored lines in our outerwear designs. This is the essence of our style.

Creating your own successful brand is not an easy thing to do: what has the path and process so far been like?

Nikol & Elena: Starting your own luxury brand is exciting and we have learned so much in this one year alone. Like most new adventures we have encountered many challenges along the way that have in turn improved our business strategy. We have learned not only about our business but about ourselves as individuals. Both having come from entrepreneurial households we know to expect trials and tribulations in the beginning stages of a new business. In the end, the most rewarding part is seeing your hard work begin to come alive.

As Macedonians we of course love Elena Risteska…and she has become your brand ambassador? How did you get connected with her and how has her influence helped your company?

Nikol: Along with many other Macedonian singers, growing up we both listened to Elena’s music which defined our teenage years. Since our summers were spent there we were fully immersed in the culture. We often found ourselves playing or listening to her music in the car, with friends, and at clubs in Macedonia.

Elena: We connected with Elena while she was on tour in the US. I saw that she was playing in Chicago and decided to reach out to her via social media and introduce myself as well as Dukyan to her. We eventually met for dinner and the rest is history. We can’t wait to share with you what’s to come in our collaboration for 2019.

Does your Macedonian heritage and connection inspire you to bring more Macedonian-Americans or Macedonians into your company or encourage them to pursue their dreams in the fashion Industry?

Nikol & Elena: It absolutely inspires us. Currently our team is partially Macedonian operated. From our models to our photographers to our web and graphic designers which are all Macedonian. The more we grow, the more we are willing to work with Macedonian-Americans because we know that their work ethic is something that is instilled from a young age. We know that coming to this country, the hardships our parents endured and with that comes a responsibility of making their journey here worth while. As Macedonian-Americans, we have no choice but to give the best out of us and we feel strongly about finding others like us as well.

What are impactful ways you think members of the Macedonian diaspora can give back to their homeland?

Nikol & Elena:  We have discussed the many ways we would want to be involved in giving back to our homeland and don’t know a better way of getting involved than starting with our youth. We are proud of being Macedonians but we are also proud of being Americans. With this being said we would love the opportunity to be able to open up different organizations that would introduce finance and budgeting as well as environmental and community building skills. Being American has taught us the importance of cherishing this planet we live on with something as simple as recycling. It sounds elementary but these are basic fundamentals that we feel are overlooked in Macedonia. In America, community building as been a priority in every corner of this country and we definitely see the potential of teaching Macedonians that there is no greater pride than giving back to your communities. These along with many other ideas are just a few ways we will be impactful if we are able to look past the politics and focus on a better tomorrow for Macedonia.

Where do you hope your company will be in 5 years time?

Nikol & Elena: This is a journey and our hope is that our company is growing and thriving in many years to come. Being entrepreneurs, it would give us a sense of pride to know that we are able to create jobs for talented people. Since the revelation of the internet and social media, the world has become such a small place that we know our goal is to become global. We want to be able to ship worldwide very soon. Also, it would be a great accomplishment to have Pop-up shops in a couple major US cities; It would create such a buzz and excitement around our brand as well as give our clients a visual aesthetic of Dukyan.

What advice do you have for young Macedonians who aspire to open their own business?

Elena & Nikol: Nothing comes without fight and determination. We feel like young people, in general, are always told to go to school, graduate, get a job, etc; It’s almost as if we are programmed to do these things in this exact order and if not, there will be consequences. We’re not saying that going to school and getting your degree or multiple degrees is not commendable, but what we do want to encourage is thinking outside the box. As cliché as this sounds, we want to urge young Macedonians all over the world to truly pursue their dreams. Do not be the norm and the crazier your dream seems the harder you should work towards attaining it.

www.dukyanonline.com

Facebook

Instagram

—

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.