It’s hard to believe that it’s already December. So for me, the countdown to RootsTech has gotten real with just a little over two months until the conference. I’m super excited to be an ambassador to RootsTech 2020. I had been reading blogs, listening to podcasts, and watching YouTube videos for three years about RootsTech and was finally able to attend in 2019. I had the best time, and it more than met my very high expectations (click HERE to read about my time at RootsTech 2019).
RootsTech is the largest genealogy conference in the world. It is held in Salt Lake City, Utah in February. It is a four-day genealogy conference full of workshops, guest speakers, vendors, and the genealogy world’s best and brightest. Not to mention that the Family History Library, the largest family history library in the USA, is just two blocks from the convention center. 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the conference. This year’s theme is the ‘Story of You’ with Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer David Kennerly as keynote speaker. David Kennerly photograph portfolio includes images of the Vietnam war, Ali v. Frazier ‘Fight of the Century’ – World Heavyweight Championship at Madison Square Garden, and 12 presidential campaigns. He was appointed White House Photographer to President Gerald R. Ford in 1974.
I was on the RootsTech website last night and saw that the workshop schedule for all four days of the conference has been posted along with speaker information. I must admit that I started my list of the workshops that I want to attend. RootsTech always has a wide variety of topics to choose from. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner, have been researching for 10 plus years, or you’re a professional there will be workshops for everybody. Speakers include Lisa Louise Cooke, D. Joshua Taylor, Ric Murphy, Evelyn McDowell, Amy Johnson Crow, Sunny Morton, Judy G. Russell, and Thom Reed. Workshop topics include DNA, methodology, writing/publishing, researching enslaved ancestors, organization, social media/podcasts, military records, and how to research German, Chinese, Scottish, British, Irish, and Italian ancestry.
Make sure you keep up with my blog because I will have more RootsTech news and announcements coming soon. Let me know if you are attending RootsTech and what you are most excited about in the comments.
- My four-day RootsTech conference pass giveaway is open until December 13, 2019. Click HERE to enter.
Journey Through the Generations 
Oh I so wish I could enter your giveaway, but am located in Hawaii and know it’s not my time this year. Question from a baby: what would be your advice to someone who’s in an isolated community and just getting started, but wanting to grow and learn in a truly intentional way?
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Thank you so much for reading. I know a little about isolation, except my was self inflicted because I’m an introvert. My suggestion would be to look and see if there’s a Family History Center nearby. Family History Centers are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and they have branches all over America. Also look for a local historical or genealogical society. There may not be information on what you are specifically researching, but you will be around like minded researchers. Also you can go to RootsTech.org and look at archived videos from past conferences. There is also a virtual pass to RootsTech that you can purchase that includes recorded sessions that you can watch anytime during or after the conference. Have you thought about joining genealogy Facebook groups. I have been able network a lot through Facebook. I hope this helps. Good luck and let me know if I can help any way.
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Thank you so much! These are great starting points! I’ve been voraciously seeking online communities, and it can be intimidating to jump in because I feel out of my depth. But I know I just need to take steps each day in the right direction.
It looks like there’s no Family History Center on my island (I don’t live on the main island of the chain), but there is a Historical Society on my island, which I will get more involved with. 🙂 Also great suggestion about RootsTech.org vids. That will be a treasure trove!
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