Erica Peña-Vest

Erica Peña-Vest will be a speaker for the 7th We Are Cousins Virtual Genealogy Conference this coming September 11-13, 2024. In this post you can read more about her and what she will be presenting.

About Erica Peña-Vest

Erica Peña-Vest is an educated social psychology 'hobbyist' with focus on Hispanics genealogical study. Having researched her own genealogy for her master's thesis, Erica now devotes her time to writing the history of her family's ancestors while trying not to get uninvited to Christmas for the secrets she uncovers.

Scheduled Presentations for 7th WACCON

Title: Explaining the Benefits of Exploring your Extended Family Tree

Summary: Why is my 6th Great Tia important? Direct descendancy is a source of great pride and history for any genealogist, but we should not forget our extended families in our search. Sometimes they uncover historic gems we wouldn't find anywhere else.

Register for the Conference

Past and Archived Presentations

Title: Current Conditions and Tips for Genealogy Travel (Presented at the 5th WAC Conference)

Summary: One of the biggest growing trends (prior to Covid-19) in the travel industry was genealogy based travel, often called heritage travel. Now that traveling worldwide is becoming more common again, there is still so many things to consider before you head out to visit the lands of your ancestors. Watch Presentation

Title: A Psycho-Social Explanation of Familial Road Blocks in Mexican-American Genealogy (Presented at the 4th WAC Conference)

Summary: Every culture honors their ancestry differently. For Mexican Americans, that honor includes privacy and secrecy which at times makes genealogical study difficult. Family secrets aren't shared, not out of shame, but out of respect. We will discuss some of the cultural, social and psychological issues that commonly impede genealogical research. Watch Presentation

Title: The Importance of Including World History With Genealogical Research (Presented at the 3rd WAC Conference)

Summary: Specifically for Mexican Americans from the South Texas region, understanding the historical perspective and political issues of our ancestors from Northern Mexico is imperative for a comprehensive genealogical study and an understanding of the sociological conditions that were the foundation of their familial life. Watch Presentation