Erica Peña-Vest

Erica Peña-Vest has been a speaker in the past for the We Are Cousins Virtual Genealogy Conference. In this post, you can read more about her past presentation and how to watch them.

About Erica Peña-Vest

Erica Peña-Vest has been working in public relations for over 20 years. Having recently researched her family genealogy for her Master's Thesis, Erica is now specializes in genealogical tourism and continues to delve into her Spanish/Tejana roots. She hosts the podcast "The Endless Search" which focuses on family genealogy research.

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

Read About Other Speakers

View more speakers here: Virtual Conference Speakers