Sometimes the Living Go Missing + interview with the NextGen Network

Instead of the dead going missing over the past few months, it’s been the living here at The Hipster Historian. As my readers may know, a few months ago, my divorce was official. In conjunction with that divorce, I was also dealing with a new living situation, new job and a new car and relationship dynamics, but enough about my shitshow (pardon my French), and let’s get down to what matters…dead people. XD

Since my absence, I’ve really dug deep into my family line with such family names like the Blocher’s, Kauffman’s and Omhart’s and figuring out what makes me the person I am — which I recommend to anyone, no matter the age. I’ve also focused on having a full-time job (shout-out to WesSpur Tree Equipment for being a brilliant place for me to work!). While doing all of this, I’ve slowly thrown together a few blog posts that I’ve been dying to share, so here is the first one, my interview with the NextGen Network.

Speaking on their behalf is Melanie McComb from The Shamrock Genealogist and a dear friend of mine:

Q: What is NextGen?

The NextGen Genealogy Network is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit group that creates a community for young genealogists. We target the 18-50 demographic but we do NOT exclude based on age. We welcome the friendship and mentorship of people of all ages.

Q: Why is NextGen important?

NextGen is important because it can be difficult to walk into a conference or society meeting and feel like the youngest person there. I remember when I went to my first family history conference a few years back and having people dismiss me because of my age (even though I’ve been researching for 15+ years). We’re like a second family – many of us are friends to each other and support each other. We’re bloggers, speakers, and family historians.

Q: What is something you want to promote about NextGen?

There is no membership fee to join our organization. You can participate remotely via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube) as well as join in-person meet-ups at family history conferences and social events.

Q: What is the history of NextGen?

The NextGen Genealogy Network was founded in 2013 following a Twitter conversation with our founders (Jen Baldwin, Kassie Nelson, and D. Joshua Taylor) where the intent was to create a community of young genealogists. Additional collaboration from Shannon Combs Bennett, Tara Cajacob, Wendy Callahan, Melanie Frick, Barry Kline, and other volunteers turned this vision into a reality.

Q: Who was your favorite interview?