Join us at the Genealogy & Local History Library Saturday, April 18, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. This presentation introduces the Family Roots Pilot Program, which supports individuals as they engage with family history and kinship through genetic genealogy. It explains why people turn to DNA and what it can mean to bring genetic information into questions about family history, identity, and connection.

People come to DNA testing with different experiences. Some have family stories and written records, while others face gaps, silences, or missing information about their families. When records are incomplete or unavailable, it can limit what people can learn through documents alone and shape the reasons they seek DNA testing and what they expect from it. The presentation uses African Americans as a clear example to illustrate how missing records, motivations for testing, and the interpretation of DNA results often intersect in real life, helping explain why DNA often becomes part of family history conversations.

The presentation also discusses what it means to receive and use genetic results, including how those results can influence decisions, relationships, and expectations within families. It addresses privacy and consent, and why understanding the limits of DNA matters before sharing or acting on genetic information. Emphasis is placed on clear communication, responsibility, and careful use of DNA, especially given how deeply it can affect how people see themselves and their families. The session concludes by describing how this work connects to the ongoing and future efforts of the Family Roots Pilot Program. Information will be provided for interested individuals on how to request a kit online afterward.

Dr. LaKisha T. David is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her work focuses on family history, identity, and kinship, with particular attention to how people engage with genetic genealogy alongside historical and social information. She is the founder of The African Kinship Reunion Repository (TAKiR) and the Principal Investigator of the Family Roots Pilot Program, which is housed within TAKiR. Through her research and public-facing work, Dr. David is committed to thoughtful and ethical engagement with genetic information and to helping individuals better understand how DNA fits into broader family stories and connections. To register, please call 1-800-613-3163. Limited seating is available.