The Genealogy Show – Takeaways

I always have a list of takeaways when I attend Genealogy Shows/Conferences and THE Genealogy Show 2019 is no different.

Disclaimer – I am on the board for THEGenShow and have a slightly rosie view on how things went down. No Canadian GG’s lost appendages (arms, fingers, pounds) from attending this event.

The Gen Show Crew — Stolen from Kirsty Grays FB Post.

THE Take Away? THE Peoples Show

From the very beginning, in the very informal conversations for THE Genealogy Show, in its acorn stage, the show director, Kirsty Gray, used the words “a peoples show”. How do you make a recipe for The Peoples Show?

The Team

You start by building a team who are known to each other but in most cases, don’t “know” each other. Throw them together for a year and let them bounce international, accessible, open, teaching and researching ideas off of each other. Then, with a light, guiding hand, morph those ideas into the Show Directors vision and you come out with a show that is for “every genealogist”.

Plenty of Seating
Spacious Floor Plan
Accessible Speakers
Great Stands
Large, enclosed Wizard Consults Stand
Engaging and Friendly Volunteers (some of which were the Accessible Speakers)
Engaging and interactive Tags Station
A Coffee/Tea Stand in the Hall
….mix, stir with…
Thousands of wonderful attendees

TGS Volunteers Mags Gaulden and Dear Myrtle — Mags Gaulden and Dear Myrtle working the door – Stolen from the TGS FB Page

Takeaway – THE People

As a personal note, it was my first time for more than a stopover in England. I got to try some local brew, foods I have only heard of my whole life, attempt to be competent in British currency, meet more than a few incredible brits, experience british weather and enlarge my ever-growing circle close friends – thousands of you.

Then there was this amazing wall of ORANGE…My WikiTree family was out in full force as well.Just…Amazing!

The Genealogy Show

Mags will be lending her bit of Canadian/Carolinian spin to this Birmingham, England based Genealogy show!

She will be talking about:

Forensic Genealogy and Adoption – Betty Jean’s Story

Finding Genealogy for your family can become a seriously daunting task if you are adopted. Betty Jean is a 90-year-old Adoptee with no paperwork or information to go on, other than her adopted birth certificate and small hints from her adoptive parents. Walk through the steps needed to find her father.

Friday June 7th, 2019, 11:30 to 12:30 PM in Arena 2.

Visits with Grandma

Had a busy couple of weeks which have included many visits with your Grandma! Besides the hugs and profound elder knowledge, you also got your very own serving of hot blueberry pie, straight from the oven. You missed the pie? The pie was there, I promise.

WikiTree LiveCasts

Grandma’s Genes had a great WikiTree LiveCast on Saturday covering Getting Started with DNA on WikiTree. We had our biggest live audience so far for this livecast and the recorded version views are growing.

This weeks WikiTree LiveCast will be with Doug Lockwood who leads the One Name Studies Project. One Name Studies are something I use a good bit to help me break down brickwalls. If you have some time, drop by and learn about One Name Studies and the One Name Study Project on WikiTree. The LiveCast will be at 3:00 PM EDT on this coming Saturday. Here is the link: WikiTree LiveCast, Doug Lockwood and the One Name Study Project

Forensic Genealogy and Adoption – Tracking Down Your Living Limbs.

The Ottawa Public Library let your grandma into the Carlingwood Branch to present “Forensic Genealogy and Adoption, Tracking Down Your Living Limbs.” Once the massive crowd (millions I tell ya) settled into their seats they were introduced to the concepts and strategies behind Forensic Genealogy and how those strategies can help with adoption searches.

Since I tend towards the Genetic side of things we delved deeply into my Cousin Betty Jean’s adoption search and the use of Genetic Genealogy. After all Betty Jean’s Genes helped us find one of her birth parents so far (and possibly the other – soon…the test is in processing).

It Takes Time

This was one of the biggest points of the presentation – It takes time. I know. You and everyone else in the world has watched these shows where one instance they are sitting at a table with a Genealogist in Philadelphia and the next they magically appear in Paris talking to their newly found 3rd cousin. It’s TV folks and slow just don’t sell the sponsors DNA test kits.

Be Prepared

Adoption searches can be a roller coaster emotionally. Bolster your support group with more than just friends and family. Get involved in a local support group and even get some professional help.

Be Respectful

This was another big point and a big talking point for questions during the presentation. As someone who is researching to find the birth family of an adoptee or the adoptee for a birth family, you do not have the right to willy nilly spread someone else’s story all over the internet. If you know your surname? Post the surname, but don’t go about saying that Jane Smith had a baby in 1955. Especially if it hasn’t been proven in the least yet. Be respectful and only tell the parts of the story that you have permission to tell.

Telling the tale with caution

Whatever avenue you use to put yourself “out there”, whether it be a Facebook page about your adoption, an adopted and a birth family tree on WikiTree, an instagram feed of photographs of yourself and likenesses between you and people you have proven to be your kin, do so with caution.

I myself, personally, don’t know anyone who has been the target of Genealogical Identity theft, but be vigilant with your own personal information.

I am very much so “out there”. Being “out there” is a part of my business model, so I hope I am ahead of the game and in charge of my own narrative. You? You have to decide how much or how little you want to make public. Take care of yourself.

Judy G. Russell, the Legal Genealogist, covers some of the privacy issues in a posting online in her December of 2016 Blog, The opt-in default.

Your Grandma is working away making afghans for all of you. You know, the ones with the big holes that never really keep you warm? The ones you throw over the back of the sofa just when your Grandma comes to visit? They will arrive with blueberry pie stains all over them too. It is, after all, hard to crochet and eat blueberry pie at the same time.

Genealogical Careers -Your Grandma is Molding the Minds of Our Future

I have already ruined my own children, why not find a new set of youngins’ to ruin?! Your Grandma is Molding the Minds of Our Future. I’ll be participating in a Panel at the University of Ottawa on Monday…

“Breakfast with Public Historians, Building a History Business”, Panel Discussion, University of Ottawa

Mags will join a Panel Discussion, “Breakfast with Public Historians, Building a History Business”, focusing on marketing and branding consultancy. Applications of History Outside of the University Setting.

This is a private event for a University of Ottawa, 3rd year class, studying “public history,” applications of history outside of the university setting. The students will hear from a panel of three people who are working in the Public History field, with lots of opportunity for questions and discussion.

It’s not an open event, but it will be a great opportunity to discuss with these students, Ideas about starting and growing a history related business, like Grandma’s Genes.

What Can You Do With That Degree?

When you talk to University Students about their Majors, about their future plans, you often hear something about getting a higher degree and teaching in a University setting. You can do that, but there is so much more to consider.

Become a Forensic Genealogist

Research the living, looking for legal proof of descent to be used in the legal process of disseminating an estate.

Become a Genetic Genealogist

Add a Genetics to your course load and combine a History degree with Science and start helping individuals discover their identity through DNA testing.

Forensic Genealogist – Treasure Hunter

Find lost items, do the research and return them to the heirs of the original owners – people write books about this! A Habit of Dying, by DJ Wiseman

Public Speaking

Get some experience, become an expert and turn your passion into a Genealogical Speaking Career. Travel the world and discuss what you know with people who want to learn. Check into the Genealogical Speakers Guild.

Anthropologist/Sociologist

Turn your degree into studying society and groups as they relate to Genealogy. Fan Study or Cluster Genealogy is the study of places and people in a given area as it relates to family history.

Become a social Media Maven

Thomas MacEntee with High Definition Genealogy is the epitome of this. He uses all forms of monetizing stuff for proclaiming Genealogy happenings and makes more than enough to support himself. Blog, Write, Tweet, Instagram, Pinterest, Post to Facebook, Share!

Start a Consulting Business to Research Government Land Use Proposals

In regards to land, be the person who researches the titles and previous uses of a property in Government acquisitions.

Ministry of Transportation or NCC Rights of Way Agent

Roads and bridges are always being constructed or changed. Become a Right of Way agent and work with landowners on negotiating the sales/use of property. The NCC (National Capitol Commission)? Yes the NCC has right of way agents who negotiate/buy use of land for the Bike Paths we all enjoy and use daily.

Make your Future your Own (Did I really just type these words?)

Be Imaginative and creative. Bust out of the molds set by so many others. How can someone use your particular skill or knowledge? What can you offer that no one else does? Take an existing idea and twist it into something new: make it your own. Become an expert in the field and take your knowledge on the road, doing workshops and seminars.

Genealogy isn’t the old people profession everyone thinks it is. It’s a lot more about finding ones identity than it is about finding your grandparents names. It’s about pushing your ancestral lines back as far as they can go.

Save

Grandma's Genes

Tag: Forensic Genealogy