Tag: Conferences

Ain’t No Party Like a RootsTech Party!

Published on by Cheri

Just a week ago, we were all flocking back home from an EPIC RootsTech 2026 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City – navigating jetlag AND the time change. The one thing to remember about any given year of RootsTech is that it’s never really over. While I focused my attendance on the in-person only classes, and main stage sessions, I still have weeks and months worth of sessions to watch at my leisure over the next year – and so do you!

Wide angle shot of the main stage arena – at capacity = 6,000 packed house.

**Important** While we are still in March – whether you attended in-person or virtually, make sure you take some time to thoroughly go through the RootsTech site to visit the exhibitor websites, download syllabus material (where available), and visit some of the social media experiences shared out there via several platforms with the hashtag #RootsTech2026. Some of these features will expire in the RootsTech site – so do not hesitate while things are still live. Yes, the recorded sessions will live on the main site for the next few years, but some features will naturally go away by April.

Now – Let’s get down to the main event. Some of the highlights below will be covered more in length via a podcast episode or larger review where noted. This year’s theme was “Together” which was apparent through the many stories featured during the conference.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) was driving the RT2026 bus!

Just like previous years, when DNA was the topic-du-jour, AI has risen to take that title. I have been learning a lot about AI, but I’m personally still trying to wrap my head around the concepts and tools available to researchers – and the multi-faceted implications of AI applications – some seen, and many in the background.

One huge reminder about AI is that the major companies (FamilySearch, Ancestry, etc.) have been utilizing AI in the background for over a decade. If you have ever accepted a shaky little leaf hint for your family tree, you’ve used AI – even if you didn’t know it. When the 1950 census was released, AI tools were hard at work in the background to transcribe the handwriting – eliminating the need for volunteer indexers. And RootsTech 2024 introduced FamilySearch’s full-text search option in their lab area – but now it’s fully integrated into the research experience (long before RT2026). Finally, let us not forget the amazing AI toys that MyHeritage gave us several years ago to bring our family photos to life. In other words – AI has been a part of our lives for a long time – but we’re just now waking up to this common technological thread – and how we can use it in our own research process, through tools outside of the genealogy industry vendors. 2026 is definitely AI’s time to shine!

On a side note – my RT2026 experience began this year when I was invited to attend the ARC (Archives & Records Custodians) Symposium in person on Wednesday. There were a lot of sessions that addressed the use of AI in the archival process – in conjunction with the research process, but I came away with more questions than answers at this point – simply because I’m not using AI in my own archival processing during my day job. Also, while I was blown away by the work and networks being developed on a global scale, historical concepts and context are still fluid descriptors when talking about AI in this field – and I have some thoughts about this that will be featured in a future post and podcast episode – stay tuned! Sneak peek phrase from one of the sessions: Think of the past as a beta space! BTW – I encourage all archivists in the field to go watch the sessions – they are free, online!

As part of this invitation, I was also granted VIP status for the main stage – and given a special behind the scenes tour of the Church History Library which I will cover in a separate post. With the new colleagues I met, and the projects featured, this was a wonderful experience and I would love to take part again!

Big Vendor Announcements:

Every year, software upgrades and new features are launched during RootsTech week. If your favorite software has a new look or special announcements – pay attention. Here are just a few I caught wind of while attending the conference – there are SO many more:

MyHeritage: This company introduced two new tools – Scribe AI and Country Coding for their pedigrees. Scribe will help you with handwriting and context analysis for documents and photographs. Also – they have a new AI assistant coming soon (GAIA) – and a family infographic feature that will really shake up the family history sharing world – so check back with them throughout 2026!

Steve Rockwood and Dave Rencher at the FamilySearch Influencers Social

For FamilySearch – they already have their hands full putting on the biggest genealogy show in the world – but as a platform, they will be expanding their AI generated full-text search throughout the global records they are digitizing at a rapid rate. And always be checking out their lab section of the website to catch new tools as they come available. Playing with these new features before they go fully live helps them gain valuable feedback as they work on development.

Storied also presented us with some new features that help you build one of their family history books and online trees – such as enhanced transcription features, API integration with FamilySearch, and new story telling features from newspaper information extraction.

GedMatch also had an entire presentation on their new features which will include a much more user friendly interface – with new toys going live for their Tier one customers! This interface overhaul has not went live just yet – but in-person attendees got a sneak peek.

LifeWeaver is not only a brand new company, but also a new platinum sponsor of RootsTech. This company aims to take all emails and texts from your phone and turn them into shareable snippet stories and histories to make sure we capture the important moments we are sharing via the technology in our hands. I hope to cover this company at a later date since I have some additional questions regarding privacy and shareability of the digital stories – but for now – they have several videos that introduce their range of features.

Main Stage Fireworks – Literally!

The main stage keynotes were scene stealers, as always! From academy award winning actress, Marlee Matlin, football great Steve Young, Irish dancers – the Gardener Brothers, and author/adventurer Tara Roberts! You can watch all of these great speakers on the RootsTech website, plus a few other international bonus speakers. Coming soon – I’ll be reviewing Tara’s book and featuring some of her post session interview in a future post and podcast episode.

America 250 was also well represented with a huge booth that featured ways to volunteer – and mapping where your revolutionary ancestor was during the American Revolution. Ancestry also announced their enhanced search feature for their Revolutionary War pensions in Fold3 – AI driven full text search that can find multiple family members! Of course, I (along with a couple of my instructors) was also passing out bookmarks to promote our virtual NGS GRIP 2026 Course coming this summer – Navigating Independence which will teach attendees about the life experiences of the Revolutionary War generation – shhhh – I’ve heard seats are already half gone – so you better hurry if you want to take our course!

The most visually impressive feature was the ball pit in the middle of the exhibit hall. Side note – the exhibit hall was larger this year by over 30 booths! Obviously, this conference just keeps getting bigger every year. Back to the ball pit – people of all ages enjoyed this ginormous ball pit with over 50,000 plastic balls inside. Each blue and green ball had a specific question that you could answer if one was thrown to you!

Media/Speaker folks getting an early taste of the ball pit extraveganza!

Relatives at RootsTech – is still going on if you have built a tree in FamilySearch! At last count, I had almost 40,000 cousins attending RootsTech and opting into the feature!

Disclaimer: I was an official member of the RootsTech Media team which means I was able to interview several people, including most of the mainstage keynotes – which will be featured on my site over the next several months. This also means I was a guest at media events from several vendors which allowed me to feature their new product enhancements in this post: MyHeritage, Storied, FamilySeach, etc.

For more photos from the week – check out the latest photo dump on my Instagram account. And for those wanting to join the party next year – it is already set for March 4th-6th, 2027! #savethedate

Your Guide to RootsTech 2026!

Published on by Cheri

It’s hard to believe that another RootsTech is almost here – March 5-7, 2026! Over the past weeks and months, some amazing details have trickled in from the conference organizers, and, like previous years, this post will grow as more information is received. That way, you won’t need to search all around for the myriad of details that have become the hallmark of attending RootsTech – both virtually and in-person.

Just a reminder that once again – it is FREE to attend RootsTech virtually – but you are still required to register. With hundreds of free sessions to choose from, run, don’t walk, to register and begin building your personalized session schedule!

Keynote Speakers:

Obviously, for either attendance type, the biggest news to hit RootsTech 2026 is the amazing keynote line-up for each day! Headlining this stellar roster is Academy Award Winning Actress, Marlee Matlin! Joining her throughout the conference are: Tara Roberts, Steve Young, José Hernández, the Gardiner Brothers, Jessica Soho, and Zico! Tune in live to catch these inspirational stories – either in-person or virtually.

2026 and America 250:

A recent announcement released earlier this week was the FamilySearch and America 250th celebration partnership. From the official press release: “FamilySearch International today announced its collaboration with America250, the national, nonpartisan organization charged by Congress to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. FamilySearch will support America250’s mission to celebrate unity, heritage, and progress by inviting individuals, families, and communities across the nation to remember, discover, and add their own stories to expand America’s collective narrative and connect us all. FamilySearch’s theme for America’s 250th Anniversary—“Together, We Build America’s Story”—encourages people everywhere to “add what you know” to the free, collaborative FamilySearch Family Tree….”

With this collaboration, be watching for some thematic sessions, ways to get involved, and inspirational segments during the opening events. This news also segues into our 2026 RootsTech theme: Together. A timely and important theme to remember across our country – and throughout our genealogy community.

ARC Symposium:

Another feature of this conference that I’m looking forward to is the ARC (Archives and Records Custodians) Symposium – which technically kicks off the conference a day early every year. You can also register for this bonus content and watch live on March 4th. As a professional archivist, this pre-conference event has evolved into some of my favorite yearly content. But, it’s not just for professionals! Anyone interested in records access and preservation should attend to learn about how they can help efforts around the globe to safeguard our heritage content.

If you head out to Salt Lake City this year, you can look for me in-person – as a RootsTech Media Representative – and as a GRIP Course Coordinator – promoting our upcoming course on America’s 250th celebration (look for additional details in the next post)! And as always, check back into this post as we get closer to the main event as we hear more announcements from RootsTech/FamilySearch!

Countdown to RootsTech 2025!

Published on by Cheri

Editor’s Note: Updated 03/05/2025. As the conference gets closer, new exciting details will emerge. Be checking back with this post to learn more as we get more information!

RootsTech 2025 will be here before you know it – one of those big events on the horizon that’s getting ever closer! For 2025, the event is slightly later in the year – March 6-8 – in the same location – Salt Lake City, Utah – inside the Salt Palace Convention Center – and virtually from a computer near you! In fact, the virtual attendees outnumber the in-person attendees by millions!

This time around I’ll be attending virtually – covering the conference for this site and the BloodRoot Podcast – but also as a speaker, once again. One of my brand new sessions will be available on the website, going live during the conference dates. Be looking for The Revolutionary War Pension Papers of the Vrooman Family. This class will provide an in-depth examination of one family’s journey through the pension application process – from the veteran, to the widow, to their adult children.

Update for the Online Offerings:

Did you know that virtual sessions are released via various time slots? Sometimes this has to do with the in-person presentation schedule and recording, but some of this has to do with pre-recorded videos being released in a staggered manner – not just all at once! Which means you can host your own watching party as new sessions go live throughout the conference.

Click on the date/time to open the list of sessions going live at that time.

Notice the number of sessions going live per time slot – and clicking on the arrow will expand this information. When you click on the title you are interested in, you will be taken to the video screen with a stage countdown to the session going live. Which means, you can host your own watching party as new sessions go live throughout the conference.

Notice the live countown for each session available virtually.

Bonus Tip for All Virtual Session – Chat Function Per Class:

Don’t forget, that EVERY session should have a chat window that you can join after registration. Now that things are going live, it appears that the chat windows for ALL sessions are now live! Even the older sessions from previous years – just remember to click “Join this chat”!

2025 Keynote Speakers:

The names of all of the keynote speakers have been released! Rachel Platten, Ndaba Mandela, Dana Tanamachi, Tara Davis-Woodhall, Hunter Woodhall, Los Chicaneros, Marco Lui, Ysabelle Cuevas, and Steve Rockwood – the GOAT of RootsTech!.

According to the Press Release:

Rachel Platten, Emmy Award-winning multi-platinum artist, singer, songwriter, Rachel Platten was made famous for her song in the form of a proclamation of self. An anthem for those who needed it and those who didn’t even know they needed it alike, “Fight Song” became a global sensation, an inescapable battle cry that’s now been streamed more than a billion times and is as inextricable to modern culture as any one song could be.

Ndaba Mandela, a renowned speaker, author, and social activist, grew up in South Africa. His grandfather, Nelson Mandela, was a prominent politician and public influence, spending 27 years in prison for his activism against Apartheid. When he was released, he invited Ndaba to live with him. While living with his grandfather, Ndaba was taught many lessons that inspired him to become a happy and effective global citizen. He attributes many of his teachings to his grandfather. Ndaba Mandela’s virtual keynote message will be available to watch at RootsTech.org starting Thursday, March 6.

Dana Tanamachi is a world-renowned artist, well-known for her 3 story mural at Starbucks inside New York City’s Empire State Building, as well as many other projects, including features on the covers of O Magazineand Time Magazine,and her art on the US postal stamp. Dana is coming to Rootstech to share her own family story and its influence on her journey of becoming the artist she is now. Listen in online or watch in-person on Friday, March 7.

Olympic Gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall and husband, Paralympic Gold-Medalist Hunter Woodhall, met at a high-school track meet in Pocatello, Idaho, in 2017. They were married 5 years later. They both competed for Division I universities on their respective journeys to the Olympics, Tara at the University of Georgia, then the University of Texas, and Hunter for the University of Arkansas. Their journeys and relationship have captured the attention and hearts of fans all across the globe. They will share their incredible relationship and story with RootsTech on Saturday, March 8, available to watch in person or online.

What Is RootsTech?

RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, we have hundreds of expert classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories that can help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library, or make plans to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event.

Disclaimer: I am an official media representative of the RootsTech Conference.

Gearing Up for RootsTech 2024!

Published on by Cheri

I apologize for this message being so late since the RootsTech Family History Conference is now breathing down our necks – less than two months away! Unfortunately, during much of the RootsTech planning and announcements, my mother fell ill and passed away this fall. Naturally, RootsTech was the last thing I was thinking about with the grief swirling throughout the Holidays, etc.

As we close out another crazy year, with all of the losses and difficult chapters we’ve lived through, once again – happiness can only gradually return by focusing on the future with hope of better days. For my family, RootsTech will always be a steadfast marker of “better days”. Regardless of the bad times we’ve endured, that genealogy week in the winter always provides a light of fun and learning that inspires us to push forward with the purpose we were gifted as the family historians.

That precious purpose and the limited time in which we have to fulfil it is the main theme of RootsTech 2024: Remember. Over the years, I have written about the shift of RootsTech from a genealogy technology conference to that of story telling and education – with a little dash of technology mixed in. However, with the new AI, DNA, and other tech tools swiftly impacting the genealogy field – I feel like RootsTech is coming full circle. The genie tech is rising, but largely in the areas of aiding in the capturing and preserving of family stories. This is a most exciting time to be in the genealogy field – and even more so at RootsTech (once again – both at home and in person)!

Let’s get to some brass tacks about what is happening for RootsTech 2024 (February 29 – March 2):

  1. This list will NOT be comprehensive because the RootsTech Team will be releasing new information as we get closer to the event – some big announcements coming in January!
  2. Theme: Remember – is focused on telling our stories – down the ancestral lines, and in our own backyard. Capturing our stories is tantamount to beginning our genealogy journey and bringing the ancestors back to life through new tools that will help us share those stories in dynamic ways!
  3. First keynote has been announced and the selection is spot on for reminding us about the journey and the larger connections of genealogy to history: Lynne M. Jackson – the great great granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott – from the famous U.S. Court case of 1857 that pushed the subject of slavery to the boiling point in the final years prior to the Civil War. Jackson will be sharing her family’s legacy and how their place in history impacts her today.
  4. So far, the class lineup is amazing with 250+ sessions only available in-person in SLC with another 200 sessions available online for FREE! Registration is already open, so grab your seat! Pretty customary for the world’s largest family history/genealogy conference!
  5. Yes – I am super honored to be presenting again at RootsTech! Both sessions are in-person in SLC: My 2023 workshop – Picture It: Photo Identification and Preservation – is BACK by popular demand – one last time in the Salt Palace! I also have a NEW session coming in 2024: Hiding Behind the Liberty Tree – Finding Patriots Among Underrepresented Groups.
  6. Also, yes – Once again, I am a member of the official RootsTech Media Team – so you can keep watch on my social media accounts to get some of the latest announcements as they are released – Another keynote will be announced in the next couple of weeks and your ability to schedule your classes should be arriving in a little over a week. Rapid fire announcements coming soon!

As I mentioned earlier, the theme (Remember) is going to hit us all hard with the feels – here are a couple of links to the promo videos being released – including a new theme song about Running Out of Time:

And in honor of my mother – who loved RootsTech, I produced a small slide show to remind everyone that RootsTech is a GREAT way to build family memories!

Thanks, all! Hope to see you there!

 

RootsTech 2023 Recap and Review

Published on by Cheri

As a longtime attendee and supporter of the RootsTech Conference (since 2011), I have the privilege of declaring this amazing event – BACK and better than ever! Don’t get me wrong – thanks to some amazing people, RootsTech kept going virtually through Covid – but having the in-person event back in such a big way is nothing short of a miracle!

The organizers of the RootsTech suite of events faced the biggest challenges we could ever imagine when Covid reared its ugly head. But ironically, adversity often has a way of forcing us into areas of creativity and desperation that result in an entirely new creation.

In this case, the new creation was a conference that reached global audiences and sustained our fix for genealogy education and connection despite the worst possible historical event that stretched beyond our dreaded fears.

Now that 2023 has arrived and Covid has at least loosened its deadly grip on the world, the RootsTech team made the brave decision to return to Salt Lake City – in person – while keeping the virtual options fresh and alive to maintain the global connections built over the past two years.

For those who attended this year and quipped that the conference was not as large as the years prior to Covid – I say – RootsTech is bigger in its overall reach since it is fully hybrid – and the 2023 on-site event was only slightly smaller than 2020.

I remember this conference in its infancy, back in 2011 – when the entire conference fit into the north side of the Salt Palace. That smaller footprint was sustained for a few years prior to its move to the entire venue. Even in its first year, attendance was double the average attendance of the other national genealogical society conferences – back then we had about 2 genealogy conferences that drew between 1500-2500 – and the first RootsTech more than doubled this number.

In 2020, this conference had reached its golden on-site peak at 30,000+ attendees over the course of three days, and every nook and cranny of the Salt Palace was packed with genealogy fun. None of us realized how close Covid was that year. Although, many of us found out upon our return home when the toilet paper shelves were emptying, and we had a mysterious head cold that came out of nowhere.

And the blunt fact that we all need to remember is that for over three years, we lived in a terrified state. So many people died or almost died across our globe. We lost too many wonderful genie friends, and we will never be the same in many ways.

Despite the global terror, the RootsTech team marched on, providing us with two solid years of free virtual programming and engagement. Now that they pulled the chord to return to in-person classes, they never left the virtual attendees behind and made sure to provide an entirely different set of classes (plus live-streaming some on-site sessions) that equaled the number of in-person sessions in quality and quantity.

The result was an amazing end product that satisfied both audiences – uniting us on a scale that we have never seen before – which was a goal of this this year’s theme: Uniting. It also opens the door for more great speakers to participate without physical travel where that might be impossible or a great burden. While the on-site crowd was slightly smaller than the peak of attendance in 2020, I was delighted to see that the buzz and energy had returned. With the higher travel costs, and some folks just not ready for post-Covid travel to such a large event – the first year back was NEVER going to be as large as 2020.

But what a wonderful turn out it turned out to be!

I admit to getting teary eyed a few times with all of the hugs and selfies, main stage crowds and energy, seeing audience reactions/engagement, and connecting with our genie tribe in person. The experience truly reminded me that we cannot take these experiences for granted. The truth is, we almost lost them forever. If it wasn’t for the tenacity of the RootsTech organizing team, all of this was in danger. While standing in the giant exhibit hall that is so large and full of genealogy goodness, I said a prayer of thanksgiving.

You see, as much as I love a good genealogy conference, and I’ve been to (and spoken at) many national conferences in the past dozen or so years, there has never been anything to compare to RootsTech. All I have written so far should put this yearly event on your genealogy bucket list – and if you need more incentive – that exhibit hall is larger than ANY you have seen in the genealogy field. All the others are very small shadows compared to the RootsTech exhibit hall – and – once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it.

Some highlights of this year:

With some slightly smaller attendance numbers, the footprint of the event was roughly the same – so everything felt, familiar, comfortable, and slightly less cramped in your favorite sessions.

The energy, connections, and buzz were back in the main stage, the exhibit hall, and the sessions! This is why we come to RootsTech, and it did not disappoint!

Registration was seamless and extremely efficient – no bags this year – but with registration cost down to around $100 + FREE virtual sessions, the bargain was significant! All of your favorite celebrity genies were there to deliver quality sessions and welcome everyone back to the genealogy event of the year!

Big announcements came from the major vendors, and Family Search – announcing so many tech tools and enhancements to the products. I could never list everything here – but do yourself a favor and virtually revisit the exhibitors/vendors from this year’s virtual and on-site events. It’s still the winter months, so it’s a great time to explore their sites more fully. Some of them are even still offering conference specials and discounts for their products – so, hurry up – time’s a wastin’!

In my previous post, I announced that I had been selected to give 6 sessions this year – one was live streamed and can be watched here (Navigating Racial Challenges in DNA Matches, with Donald Shores) – but two of the sessions were hands-on workshops given at the Family Search Library (formerly known as the Family History Library) as a part of RootsTech – and co-sponsored by my employer, the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution!

This workshop format was a new concept, and I was honored to be a part of the inaugural series launch in conjunction with the RootsTech offerings. These sessions were listed as a part of the on-site session list, but pre-registration was required since class size was limited to 50 each. The classes I gave on historic photography and preservation were full within a couple days of listing, and we even opened up for ten more people each class (which meant ordering more gloves prior to flying to SLC) – but of course, even that wasn’t enough, and we had more people wanting to squeeze in. The educational benefits of these classes included not only holding the various photographic formats in their hands – but all attendees went home with two pairs of gloves and a sampling of enclosures to get them started in preserving their own photographs at home.

And lastly…the amazing keynote speakers provided incredible high points as usual. Most of these can still be viewed on the RootsTech main website. Of course, my favorite of Sean Astin! Getting to meet him in person was an experience I will never forget. “Goonies never say die!”

Here are my final thoughts:

  1. With so many sessions available for free on the RootsTech website (sessions from 2020-2023) – RootsTech is NEVER over! Invest in your own genealogy education and development by viewing these great sessions over the next year.
  2. Now that the inaugural post-Covid event is under our belt, you know this on-site event is going to continue to grow each year – so put this back on your genealogy bucket list. Every genealogist should attend at least once in their lifetime!
  3. Despite the large crowds, very few masks, and lots of hugs, conversations, and mass transit (planes, trains, & automobiles) – no one in my party came home sick – nor have I heard of any widespread illness during, nor upon our return. In 2020, it feels like we all got sick during or after. This is a wonderful sign about our (hopefully) post-Covid existence.
  4. If you plan on coming out next year – the dates have already been set, and one word of planning caution – from what I observed – with both merchandise and the food set-up – this conference has moved to a cashless system.
  5. Be watching for a post-event podcast episode coming soon via BloodRoot as my RootsTech posse gathers once again to chat about our 2023 experience!
  6. If you are in the Louisville/Kentuckiana region – be on the lookout for the Picture It! Workshops to be given again this summer at the NSSAR headquarters. Keep an eye on the events page of library.sar.org for coming announcements.

Thanks to all who attended my sessions and have reached out since – y’all make the work so worth while!

Wishing everyone a safe 2023, and – hopefully – look forward to seeing even more of you in SLC in 2024!

RootsTech 2023 Sneak Peek & Giveaway

Published on by Cheri6 Comments

Greetings, one and all! It’s that time of year, again – RootsTech season! The world’s largest family history conference is back this March 2-4, and I’m hoping most of you have already heard about the dual nature of this year’s conference: Approx. 180+ classes in person at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City with a similar number of (different) virtual classes available for FREE, online! Just to be clear, both of these options contain NEW classes – and are different from the thousands of on-demand classes that are currently available at the RootsTech website from the past couple of years. CLICK HERE to go directly to the 2023 session/speaker/exhibitor listings.

Which also means there are two ways to register – in-person – or virtually. The virtual option is FREE for all – but pre-registration is required for either choice.

If you will be in the SLC area, and would like a chance to attend the conference for free, scroll down to the giveaway section!

What’s new this year:

For RootsTech 2023, the theme is Uniting – and we can’t wait to unite once again with our fellow genealogists, family historians, colleagues, vendors, friends, etc. Some really great keynote speakers are being announced as we get closer to the conference, so keep an eye out for additional announcements as March approaches.

I too have a new slate of sessions to present, both on-site and online for this year’s conference:

  • Picture It: Photo Identification and Preservation Workshop @ the FS Library, Thursday, March 2 • 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM
  • Picture It: Photo Identification and Preservation Workshop @ the FS Library, Friday, March 3 • 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM
  • Listen Up! Podcasting Your Family History, Friday, March 3 • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
  • FAN of the Enslaved: A Forensic Look at Two Family’s Journeys to Freedom, Friday, March 3 • 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
  • Navigating Racial Challenges in DNA Connections, Saturday, March 4 • 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM (Livestream – Online/Virtual)
  • Avoiding Ancestor Identity Theft: How to Add the Right People to Your Tree, Saturday, March 4 • 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

BTW, if you caught that one of my sessions has a seemingly duplicate entry – that’s because I am giving this very special workshop twice at the Family Search Library (formerly the FHL)! This 2 hour hands-on workshop is co-sponsored by the the FSL and the SAR Genealogical Research Library!

Here is a description of the Picture It workshops: Have you ever wanted to fully understand the difference between daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, and more? This intensive two hour workshop will take a deep dive into the various historic photograph formats that we encounter as family historians – followed by instructions on how to properly handle and preserve them based on format and access needs. Attendees will get a hands on experience as they receive their own pair of gloves to keep as each type of photograph is passed around the room. We will closely examine what each format looks like and feels like in person, sometimes using magnifying glasses to see the processing elements that signal type and production markers. During the preservation phase of the class, attendees will be introduced to the various types of enclosures and tools necessary to preserve their collection. At the end of the class, each attendee will also receive a few enclosure samples to take home. Free class, sponsored by the Family History Library and the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Genealogical Research Library. Class is limited to 60 attendees.

These off-site workshops held at the FSL is a new concept for RootsTech – so pay close attention to the session descriptions to find additional off-site workshops! And just a reminder that these two workshops are limited to 40 attendees each. Once you register for the conference, you will be able to add them to your schedule which should create a count for those keeping track.

Also new for this year – some special guests joining a couple of my sessions! For Navigating Racial Challenges in DNA Connections – I’ll be joined by genealogist, Donald Shores – who will be participating virtually, all the way from Missouri. And for Avoiding Ancestor Identity Theft: How to Add the Right People to Your Tree – I’ll have two special colleagues partnering in the presentation – Linda Colston, genealogist at Twin Oaks Genealogy, and Deborah Maddox, Staff Genealogist at the SAR.

We are all so excited to get back together in person – but equally as happy to know that the virtual RootsTech party is still going strong! And don’t forget all of those on-demand sessions still available at the RootsTech site right now!

Now for the Giveaway!

As a RootsTech influencer, I am tasked with giving away one free on-site registration to the 2023 conference – a $98 value*! This includes full access to all three days of the conference – featuring 180+ sessions, expo hall, keynote sessions, and main stage fun! You must enter by January 30th – and the winner will be announced on January 31st.

Here’s how to enter – just comment below to give me the name of your favorite ancestor. You may also comment on my Twitter or Instagram posts if you prefer. Only one entry per person, please.

Now – what are you waiting for?

*Note: This contest for on-site registration only and does not include any travel monies for arrival/attendance. The virtual conference is free for all.

RootsTech 2022 Is Coming: Global Keynotes and Speakers!

Published on by Cheri

Calling all family historians and genealogists:

Did you hear that RootsTech – the world’s largest family history conference and year-long learning platform is going virtual and FREE once again for 2022?! That’s right, the team at RootsTech is doing it all over again, promising an even richer buffet of genealogy goodness! This year’s virtual event takes place March 3rd through the 5th and registration is now open – just visit RootsTech.org.

With thousands of classes, inspiring speakers, meaningful activities and joyful connections, RootsTech brings the human family together like no other event. Get ready to celebrate shared connections with people from around the world. Connect with friends, your family, your past, your heritage and homelands—all from the comfort of your home and in your browser.

As an online experience, attendees will be able to choose from thousands of classes from around the globe and in multiple languages. Gee, that sounds like a lot of classes to take in during a three day window! Well, have no fear, there is NO schedule for the regular sessions – these have all been pre-recorded and placed online for you to consume at your leisure. Think GenFlix for us genealogy junkies! After the conference is over, you will have access to the full selection of sessions for the rest of the year, plus many from 2021.

Beyond these dynamic classes, there will be inspirational keynote speakers, cultural activities, contests, virtual meet-ups, and a virtual marketplace. The keynote sessions ARE scheduled, for the main page – but if you miss one, they are recorded for you to enjoy later. For 2022, you will hear inspiring stories from: Matthew Modine, Thais Pacholek, Molly Yeh, Azumah Nelson, Diego Torres, Maysoon Zayid, and Apollonia Poilâne !  This is such an exciting lineup – and all for free – astounding!

“See” you There!

Oh, and one last thing, I’ll be seeing you there as a speaker and influencer, so I apologize in advance that my social media feeds will be taken over during the conference. For more information about my speaking sessions, just search for my name once the conference goes live on the 3rd, or see my Speaking page at genealogyliteracy.com/services.

For the best conference experience, consider signing up for a free familysearch.org account before heading over to the registration portal. What are you waiting for? Sign up now and let’s get connecting!

BTW, Special thanks to fellow speaker, Dr. Penny Walters for the great keynote graphic!

RootsTech 2020: In Review

Published on by Cheri1 Comment

How do I begin to describe the 10th Anniversary of RootsTech? The only word that fits is “epic”. As RootsTech continues to grow past the decade mark, it is important to understand that the size of this conference means each attendee can have a completely unique experience. Today I will fill you in on the experience I had, including some great announcements that were made during the week. And to get a broader representation of the RootsTech experience, check out some of the blog posts published by other 2020 ambassadors!

The Story of YOU:

The biggest impact this year had to be “The Story of You”. As the theme of this year’s conference, you could see it everywhere. And as a librarian, the book motifs were geeking me out quite a bit. It reminded us all that our story and our ancestors’ stories are very intertwined. The story chain would not be complete without our story – urging everyone to buckle down and include their story in the family narrative.

By far, the best visual for this theme had to be the “What’s Your Story” interactive display. Attendees were encouraged to write a snippet of their story in one of the hundreds of empty journals lining the balcony on the second floor. By the time the conference was over, most of the pages were filled with colorful comments and stories.

Wearing Many Hats:

This year, I attended as both a speaker and ambassador which afforded different experiences, yet flowed together pretty seamlessly due to the wonderful work of the RootsTech organizational teams. With all of the moving parts, and such a small planning team, what they achieve each year is pretty remarkable. Below I will outline the highlights of each role in 2020.

Speaker:

As a speaker, I presented three sessions on various topics: Digital Citizenship, Difficult History, and Family History Preservation. Just remember that the syllabus material is still available on the app, and there are 20+ free sessions available right now in the 2020 video archive. You can watch my session on Tackling Difficult Chapters of Our Family History by clicking this link, or by watching the video link on the sidebar. I have to say, this session was my most rewarding so far, due to the sensitive and timely nature of the stories I included. Plus, I’ve had so many people thank me for the session, while sharing their difficult histories amid tears and hugs. We all have difficult chapters in the family tree – and this session will help you deal with them in a practical and sensitive manner.

For those of you who purchased the Virtual Pass, the recorded sessions are still being processed and should be available within the next few weeks. The Virtual Pass is still available for purchase until September. If you opt for this option, the 30+ sessions in combination with the free sessions will give you access to over 50+ sessions. Since no attendee can get to all of the sessions physically, this is a great way to keep learning from RootsTech over the coming months!

Ambassador:

As a RootsTech Ambassador, we are given certain updates and information to share with you all. Some of those highlights include:

RootsTech is heading to LONDON this fall! This, by far, was the biggest announcement by Family Search. Save the Date: November 5-7, 2020. Registration is already open.

Interview with Dan Call and Bryan Austad: These two Family Search “Experience Managers” are the masterminds behind the Discovery Centers – found in the Expo Hall and on the 1st floor of the Family History Library. Dan was even instrumental in helping to create RootsTech 10 years ago. So, they shared their views on how much the conference has changed, and their desire for the future of the Discovery Centers. Be looking for additional ways to Discover your family history through an expanded experience Discovery Experience on your own PC – coming very soon!

MyHeritage: During a dinner for Friends of MyHeritage (and throughout the conference) they showcased their new photo colorizing tool that quickly colorizes old black and white photos with the click of a button. They also announced a new U.S. City Directory collection that expands their digitized images to 1.5 billion.

Biggest Takeaways:

For me, the inspiration of the keynote speakers, and the importance of telling our stories had the most impact. We’ve all told ourselves to get writing, but this year, the tools available to help us, and the fleeting nature of life have spurred me to once again pick up the pen. We have work to do!

Fun Additions:

For this year, there were some cool additions that had us playing and learning at a greater rate.

Virtual Reality: There was a huge booth designed to allow VR participants to explore the land their ancestors called home. And for those who had ancestors on the Mayflower, MyHeritage was adding a fun twist to the experience.

The Discovery Center: Was expanded this year and placed in the center of the Expo Hall.

Shuttle to the Library: This year, there was a shuttle taking folks to the library and back to the Salt Palace – If you missed the shuttle, there were new, helpful sidewalk signs to help you find your way!

Thanks again to the organizers! They rocked it once again, and demonstrated how strong this conference is after 10 years. I was there the first year, and each year I attend, I am more and more impressed – and always come home greatly inspired. I can’t wait to see what the next 10 years will bring for RootsTech!

Until next time!

RootsTech 2020 Home Stretch!

Published on by Cheri

It’s almost here – RootsTech 2020! The Genealogist’s version of Christmas! As this year marks the 10th anniversary, it should be the biggest conference yet! In the flurry of packing, writing, and planning, I wanted to take some time to cover my favorite features of this amazing conference – and why you should attend, either in-person or virtually.

Cutting edge tools, tips, and instruction: From the ginormous expo hall with the latest and the greatest genealogy tech tools to the most recent advances in DNA science and available resources, this conference should be on your yearly genealogy check-list – and here’s why. If you stay at home or travel to attend in person, your week (and the coming weeks) will be chock full of discovery and learning. 

Here’s my formula for success with both attending options:

At Home 1: Watch the FREE live-streaming classes! There are about 21 sessions scheduled which can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home, without spending a dime. But as a binge-watching society, I know those 21 sessions will NOT be nearly enough. The great news: You can purchase a Virtual Pass which will bring you another 30 sessions to watch from home! That’s right, the virtual pass brings your total viewing number to over 50! Seriously, with 300 sessions in person, 50 is a great chunk.

At home 2: Download the syllabus material! You can do this as well, for FREE – for most of the classes! Not just the 50+ mentioned above – ALL 300+ sessions! Please take advantage of this option – the speakers spend a lot of time and effort making these materials thorough and useful – not to mention that each speaker can be a future reference for you when needing more education. Downloading is available through the RootsTech App.

At home 3: Take a virtual tour of the Expo Hall! The entire list of exhibitors can be found on the RootsTech website, and at your leisure, you can click on each one and explore their websites. Some may even have RootsTech special pricing, so be sure to explore and play with these latest genealogy tech toys and tools.

At home bonus: As most of you know, I am honored to have been selected as a speaker once again this year – which I will cover in more detail below. However, several folks have asked me about one particular session that resonates with many of us today: Tackling Difficult Chapters of Our Family History. I am doubly honored to announce that this session has been picked up for the livestream schedule! On Thursday, February 27th @ 3:00pm Mountain Time (5:00pm EST), you can tune in to watch my presentation in its entirety. If you miss it that day, the recording will be available shortly thereafter on the RootsTech.org website.

In Person 1: Happy Birthday, RootsTech! This year is going to be a huge blow out! Over 300+, and expanded session space and exhibit session opportunities, so you’ll want to be there if at all possible! As a speaker, I will be giving three presentations over the course of the conference:

My Session Schedule:

  • A Digital Citizenship Primer for Genealogists: Wednesday, Feb. 26th @ 3:00pm
  • Tackling Difficult Chapters of Our Family History: Thursday, Feb. 27th @ 3:00pm
  • The Hoarder’s Guide to Family History Preservation: Saturday, Feb. 29th @ 1:30pm

Speaker Meet-Up Schedule: In lieu of questions during my sessions, I am going to try and snag a space in the speaker meet-up area for more in-depth conversations. As these tables are first come, first served, please pay close attention to my Twitter or Instagram feed to see when I’ve snagged a table for confab! If you don’t use either – you can see these feeds right here on this website – right sidebar.

In Person 2: Be sure to take care of YOU! Pace yourself – this is the big one! At 10 years old, this year’s event looks to be the biggest yet. According to the Salt Palace tour video that was put out by the conference organizers, the event is sprawling even more – including food and session rooms all the way down to the far end of the Palace – which is reminiscent of the first year, then only down the north side of the Palace. Also, be sure to watch the Road to RootsTech video series – this includes wonderful tips – which for this year, is VERY important! There is construction happening at the south end entrance to the Salt Palace – resulting in CLOSURE. From what we have seen so far, even the sidewalk around that entrance is closed. Another important point – this construction alters the bathroom plan. Go watch the latest video for updates.

In Person 3: Bags and Swag! Your badges have been mailed to most of you. For those of you who need them printed or re-printed, there will be several stations available to provide this service. And did I mention how cool the bags are going to be this year? Pink and black backpacks! Woot!

In Person 4: Do not forget to prioritize the Exhibit Hall! NEW THIS YEAR: Gone is the Unconferencing Session space, and in its place, a more expanded area for vendors to host instructional sessions. Yes, the Demo stage will still be there, but these expanded areas should be able to accommodate more attendees and provide more in-depth information compared to the brief Demo sessions. Look for spaces in the vendor areas as well as the EXPO HALL CLASSROOM, in the front, next to Trace’s Coaches’ Corner. In other words, build time into your schedule to fully explore this genealogy/tech wonderland. It is unlike any genealogy conference out there and should be enjoyed to the fullest!

In Person 5: The Family History Library! OK, so if you live in SLC, you’re excused from this one. If you are visiting from out of town, you MUST take a little time to research those ancestors! This place is unparalleled – And they have graciously added late night hours to enhance your RootsTech/SLC experience! Just make sure you come prepared with a reasonable research plan, or you will quickly get overwhelmed by the resource buffet on each floor. Another tip: If the Discovery Center in the Expo Hall gets too crowded, head over to the permanent version on the first floor of the library!

In Person 6: Stretch those introvert tendencies and talk to other attendees! These are your people – gathered together at the great watering hole of ancestral information. Even the vendors are there to learn more about you, the users! In fact, that was the original mission of RootsTech 2011 – getting the developers and users in one place to learn from each other. So, in 2020, let’s remember that original dream and make the genealogy landscape a better place because we made the effort to connect with those of like minds and pursuits.

Post Script: For additional survival tips, please see the official Survival Guide posted by the conference organizers, as well as many other ambassadors out there!

See you soon!

RootsTech Contest Winner!

Published on by Cheri

As the Holiday Season draws to a close, we need to be looking forward to RootsTech, 2020! As a RootsTech Ambassador, it was my privilege to pick the winner of my RootsTech full pass giveaway contest. On Christmas Day, my family and I drove up to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to announce my winner – The full video can be seen on Instagram or Twitter. Drum roll, please – the lucky winner was Kathy Webb! Even though the winner was chosen at random, Kathy’s favorite genealogy find of 2019 was pretty cool – She discovered that her great grandmother was a sheriff in Arkansas! I’d love to know more about that story!

I would like to thank all of those who entered my contest via the three options (blog, Twitter, Instagram)! We had a total of 29 entries with some really great stories. Be sure to go read the comments of the last post to be inspired for 2020. From immigration stories, to DNA cousins, to connecting back to the land of our heritage, the entries were really amazing, and worth the read. Also, thanks to RootsTech for providing these passes for the Ambassadors to give away – there are still some contests running out there for the next couple of days – so if you didn’t win, and want another chance – be sure visit the Conference Keeper site for the links.

Now that we are less than two months away from RootsTech 2020, here are the latest updates: The 2020 app is now live – and we’ve heard the schedule has been finalized – so time to get exploring and setting up your schedule for each day. Another keynote speaker has been announced – Emmitt Smith, Former Dallas Cowboys player, and NFL Hall of Famer.

These next two months are going to fly by – and I can’t wait to see everyone in SLC. Be watchful for more announcements as they are released in the coming weeks!

See you soon and Happy New Year!