I am Teaching a Mexican-American Family History Class for Teens at the Anaheim Public Library Next Month

I am presenting a new genealogy lecture for the Anaheim Public Library next month, that is quite a bit different from the typical genealogy topics I teach in my lectures, workshops, and summer school course. This is not a standard how-to class for genealogists. Instead it is a class reaching out to Mexican-American teens and young adults (adults cant attend too!). The event is part of the Anaheim Public Library’s Hispanic Heritage Month programming.

The intent is to get teens interested in family history. This particular community is heavily Mexican-American, so my talk will also highlight the long history that our Mexican ancestors have here in the present-day United States. The goal is to inspire…to get them interested in learning more about their own ancestors and relatives, and understanding how they helped shape United States, Mexican, and Spanish history.

Class Information

Title: Celebrating, Discovering, and Sharing Your Mexican Family History

• Date & Time: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 (3:30pm-4:30pm)
• Location: Anaheim Public Library, Haskett Branch Library (2650 W Broadway, Anaheim, CA 92804)

Target Audience: Teens, Young Adults, Adults

Description:

Americans of Mexican descent have a long rich heritage in the United States that pre-dates even the 1607 founding of the Jamestown settlement in colonial Virginia. Some of our ancestors were here well before present-day borders were in place, while others of us have ancestors who immigrated to the United States over the past century and a half or just in the last few decades. Many of our families no longer know when, where, or how our Mexican ancestors arrived in the U.S., or know the name of our ancestors’ hometown in Mexico.

Those of us with Mexican ancestors are fortunate because there are so many websites, collections, and tools available online now (and for free!) that can help us trace our family lines in Mexico going back centuries.

The instructor will share stories about her own ancestor discoveries, as well as interesting examples from friends and other families.

This class will explain why family history is important and exciting, and how teens can get involved now in learning, preserving, and sharing their own family history and traditions. Gain a brief introduction to the types of websites and tools available online for tracing your Mexican family history, find out where you and your family can get more help, and learn how even a non-Spanish speaker can be successful at this research.