2024 in Review & What Comes Next!
Look out 2025! Here I come.
As the year draws to a close, many of us use this time to reflect on the past and consider what the future holds. The holiday season and the end of the year offer us time to reflect on the family history and the research we've accomplished in 2024.
The quieter moments allow us to reflect on the ancestors we have discovered, the stories we have learned, and how our ancestor's narratives and experiences have helped shape who we are today.
As we all know, tracing your family history reveals far more than a timeline of births and deaths—it uncovers the trials and tribulations of the lives that came before you.
Plus, genealogy is exciting because you never know what you may find when you follow your ancestry's lineage. You could discover a great-aunt or uncle who fought for workers' rights or a distant cousin who helped the US Navy to stop invading fascists during World War II. These stories—the triumphs over adversity, the quiet acts of courage, the preservation of traditions against all odds—rarely make it into history books. Yet they're vital chapters in the larger human story that we're all linked through, helping us better understand where we came from, who we are, and what we might become if we learn from our ancestors' past mistakes.
I think about this a lot these days. In a time when rewriting history feels like the norm, family history research is so vital. The eye-opening discoveries we make as family historians as we search for proof of our relatives' lives lend us the unique vantage point to witness and experience history through the eyes of those ancestors.
Why? Because our ancestors were the people who were on the ground living it, not the upper echelons who were (and are) rewriting it to fit a narrative they want to project into the world.
Maybe you feel this way, too. And that leads me to…
2025: Genealogy Research & Other Announcements
In the coming year, I will be dedicating more of my posts to address the issue of documenting ancestral history accurately and with documentation.
I plan to explore how presentism and bias can impact historical research, leaving us with half-truths and inaccurate narratives. As I've spoken about before, presentism, the tendency to interpret past events with modern values and concepts, and bias can lead to misunderstandings and inaccuracies. I will weave these concepts into my posts here and on other social media platforms.
I am also excited to announce that in 2025, I will be offering family history based classes!
First, in the first half of 2025, I'll be offering beginner genealogy classes, both online and in-person. These classes are designed to equip you with the essential skills and knowledge needed to start your own journey into family history research. It is a great way to learn where to start or to refresh your research skills.
Second, in the second half of the year, I'll be presenting a class on transforming your family history research into books and novels! This course is intended for those who have gathered substantial information and wish to take their research to the next level. We will discuss shaping family history research into family history books and novels, both nonfiction and fiction.
This course is designed to help you transform your family history research into engaging narratives that capture the essence, spirit, and history of your ancestors' lives and the era they lived in.
Stay tuned for more details and updates on how to register for these classes! Also, I will be presenting FREE versions of these courses via library based webinars. So, if you're not sure they are the right programs for you, keep an eye out for the free version to check them out.
What's next for my Substack?
In 2025, I will introduce pay levels. Will you still be able to receive a free version of my posts? Absolutely, but there will be MORE options to subscribe for more in-depth posts, personal genealogical assistance, access to educational posts, and more!
More soon!!
With Much Thanks!
I want to take a moment to say Thank You! For reading and for your continued support of Genealogy by Aryn! I’m looking forward to sharing more posts (including the conclusion of the Cisco, Texas bank robbery) in 2025! So, CHEERS and here's to 2025!
To learn more about about Genealogy by Aryn - head over to GenealogybyAryn.com, follow on BlueSky - TikTok - Instagram - Facebook
Don’t forget to check out my Etsy Shop and my Genealogy Shop for digital downloads and family history workbooks!