Even at a cosmopolitan institution like Harvard, few people can claim as diverse a background as Yelena Khanga.

Khanga, who is of African, Russian and Jewish descent, was at the Kennedy School of Government Friday to promote her new book, Soul to Soul: The Story of a Black Russian American Family, 1865-1992.

The book Chronicles her experiences exploring her family roots, a process that began in 1987 with her arrival in the U.S. on an exchange program between the Moscow News and the Christian Science Monitor.

In a faint Russian accent, khanga discussed the importance for people "to know their roots, to understand their heritage, and to have the self-confidence that comes as a result of these."

She cited her wish to inspire others to do the same. "Only by knowing our background can we understand our future," she said.