RootsTech Day 1

 

Photo by Patrick Jones. RootsTech Opening Session. 6 Mar 2025.

My photo doesn't capture how full the opening keynote session was at RootsTech for day one. I was standing in the very back, and it was completely full (and there were likely thousands of conference attendees not in the main room for that session). The first day was a lot, and I probably need some distance from the event to absorb all I picked up from the sessions and Exhibit Hall talks I attended.

I was able to connect with some familiar faces and chat with a cousin by marriage and others at the event. RootsTech is a really unique and special conference.

I have another day on the ground today before continuing on to Seattle for my main event this week. A few highlights from yesterday were chatting with the YourDNAGuide team, Jarrett Ross, and the FamilyTreeDNA team on their new launches. I saw some familiar faces from the genealogy YouTube and podcast community and picked up some interesting nuggets of wisdom from each of the talks I covered. I had a chat with Brooke from Reclaim the Records (please support them, their work is awesome).

I caught a few speakers live who I've seen online. Diahan Southard's morning talk "How does DNA fit into your Family Story? Identity. Connection. Answers." was so good. I skipped the What's New at Ancestry session knowing it would be recorded for later viewing in order to see "Discovering your roots: Getting Started with Central and South American Family History." 

While my question did not get answered in the Central and South America family history session, it did prompt me to go downstairs and seek out some representatives from FamilySearch to ask them when FamilySearch Labs' Full Text search tool will include Sonoran records. Their recommendation was for me to submit a Feedback comment, which I tried to do. I'll probably make the comment again in person before I depart RootsTech, as Sonora is a big one for me on the Campuzano, Amado, Vasquez, Diaz, Suastegui, Portillo, Quijada and related branches side.

I'll have another post on RootsTech in person sessions and then will shift to the online offerings as I head to Seattle. It's been an inspiring conference so far and really reinforces the continuing learning into family history.