Erica Peña-Vest

Erica Peña-Vest will be a speaker for the 8th We Are Cousins Virtual Genealogy Conference this coming September 17-19, 2025. In this post you can read more about her and what she will be presenting.

About Erica Peña-Vest

Erica Peña-Vest is an avid genealogist. She is also a podcaster and recently launched “Somos Tejanos”, a podcast devoted to the stories of Tejano genealogy. Erica was recently honored by Governor Abbott with the designation “Yellow Rose of Texas” – highest honor given to women in Texas for community service.

Scheduled Presentations for 8th WACCON

Title: Appealing to a Younger Generation

Summary: Find effective ways to get younger generations to learn their history. From social media ideas to podcasting, from family nights to school opportunities, and much more - this course will explore all the resources available to you publicly to spread your messages and and leave behind the things you've learned.

Register for the Conference

Past and Archived Presentations

NOTE: The following presentations can only be viewed for 60 days after each conference if you purchase the Gold Pass. Or all year if you purchase the Platinum Pass.

Title: Explaining the Benefits of Exploring your Extended Family Tree (Presented at the 7th WAC Conference)

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. Watch Presentation

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