Whidbey Island Genealogical Searchers Finding Jane Graham’s Parents by Mary Kircher Roddy
Category Archives: Society News
Myheritage introduces LiveStory
As we just announced in our RootsTech keynote address, I’m pleased to introduce LiveStory: an incredible new feature that allows you to create animated videos of your ancestors telling their life stories. This feature was developed using AI technology pioneered by D-ID, the company that helped us bring you Deep Nostalgia™ last year. Here’s a short and fun introduction to LiveStory video.
Imagine watching a realistic simulation of how your great-grandfather may have looked and sounded telling the story of his life. That’s exactly what you can do with LiveStory.
You can easily create a LiveStory from scratch, all you need is a photo and a short narrative written in the first person, and you can create a LiveStory in just minutes! But those who already have family trees on MyHeritage are in luck, because MyHeritage can create an automatic LiveStory for you by pulling details and photos from your tree. You can edit the narrative and add chapters and photos, customize the voice, and preview the result as much as you like until your LiveStory is ready to share with your family and friends.
Amazing, right? Head on over to the LiveStory landing page to try it for yourself! You can read more about the feature and how it works on our blog announcement here and press release below.
Feel free to use the above graphic when spreading the word (and video)… and of course, share your LiveStories far and wide! I can’t wait to see what you do with it.
Enjoy!
Daniel Horowitz Genealogy Expert
MyHeritage Releases LiveStory, A Groundbreaking Feature That Automatically Creates Video Biographies, Using D-ID Pioneered AI Technology
Tel Aviv, Israel, and Lehi, Utah, March 3, 2022 — MyHeritage, the leading global service for discovering your past and empowering your future, and Creative Reality™ startup D-ID, announced today the release of LiveStory, a groundbreaking new feature that creates captivating video biographies. LiveStory automatically produces an animated video of a user’s ancestor telling their life story, weaving together photos and details of their life into a narrative that is told by a speaking portrait of the person.
LiveStory is powered by some of the most advanced AI technologies available today. The technology for the speaking portrait was licensed by MyHeritage from D-ID, a company specializing in video reenactment using deep learning. MyHeritage first integrated D-ID’s technology in Deep Nostalgia™ to animate the faces in historical photos. Deep Nostalgia™ launched in February 2021 to wide acclaim and became a global sensation. MyHeritage soared to the #1 spot in the app stores in over 30 countries, and since its launch, nearly 100 million animations have been created. With LiveStory, MyHeritage and D-ID take this concept further by adding audio and building a compelling narrative of a person’s life events. The narrative is created automatically from the user’s family tree on MyHeritage, or entered manually, and is converted to high-quality audio using text-to-speech technology. Cutting-edge reenactment technology then animates the person’s face and mouth to speak the audio by generating a realistic lip sync. The animation is automatically enhanced with photos curated from the family tree, or uploaded and paired with the narrative. This results in short and engaging videos that users can download, share directly with family and friends, and post on social media.
Where Deep Nostalgia™ amazed millions by animating the faces of beloved ancestors, its successor, LiveStory, gives voice to one’s most interesting family stories in a remarkable new way. LiveStory is fully customizable; the narrative, photographs, and voice can all be edited and previewed until the desired result is achieved. LiveStory currently supports 31 languages, dozens of dialects, and hundreds of voice personas, as well as male and female voice options.
MyHeritage has established a policy to prevent abuse of the technology and the creation of “deep fakes”. LiveStory is intended to be used only on photos of deceased people, typically one’s own ancestors, and should never be used on a photo of a living person without their permission. Use of content that is obscene, false, or offensive is expressly prohibited.
Some may find the feature uncanny, however, initial reactions to LiveStory have been outstanding. Noted genealogist James Tanner called the feature “jaw-dropping” and “more than fabulous” after seeing a LiveStory of his grandfather. Writer, author, and renowned lecturer Lisa Alzo was moved to tears by a LiveStory of her late father and said, “I am in awe of this technology. LiveStory gives us a whole new way to experience and share family stories that will resonate with younger and older audiences alike, and is particularly useful for generating video biographies of people who lived before video was invented.”
“LiveStory takes storytelling to the next level,” said Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “With this latest viral feature, MyHeritage continues to lead the world of online family history in both vision and innovation. Our use of AI to breathe new life into historical photos is unique and is helping millions of people cultivate a renewed emotional connection with their ancestors and deceased loved ones. Genealogy is all about telling and preserving our family stories. We keep showing the world how fun and compelling genealogy can be.”
“Following the dizzying success of Deep Nostalgia™, we are thrilled to team up with MyHeritage once again to create another mind-blowing experience that will change the way people interact with family history,” said Gil Perry, Co-Founder and CEO of D-ID. “LiveStory leverages AI-powered video reenactment to give voice to the stories of our ancestors. We are delighted by such a moving and inspiring application for our technology and our strong, ongoing partnership with MyHeritage.”
LiveStory is a freemium feature on MyHeritage, available on desktop, mobile web, and the MyHeritage mobile app. Users can create several LiveStories for free. Beyond that, additional use requires a subscription. LiveStories can easily be shared with friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and other social media.
About MyHeritage
MyHeritage is the leading global discovery platform for exploring family history. With billions of historical records and family tree profiles, and with sophisticated matching technologies that work across all its assets, MyHeritage allows users to discover their past and empower their future. MyHeritage DNA is one of the world’s largest consumer DNA databases, with 5.6 million customers. MyHeritage is the most popular DNA test and family history service in Europe. Since 2020, MyHeritage is home to the world’s most advanced AI technologies for animating, repairing, enhancing, and colorizing historical photos. www.myheritage.com
MyHeritage Media Contact:
Sarah Vanunu
Director of Public Relations
+1 917 725-5018
About D-ID
D-ID is a Tel Aviv-based Creative Reality™ startup specializing in patented video reenactment technology using AI and deep learning. D-ID’s products range from animating still photos, to facilitating high-quality video productions, and creating viral user experiences. With funding from tier 1 VCs, D-ID aims to radically disrupt the time, hassle and costs involved in video production, allowing for the creation of highly personalized media using AI, specifically in history, e-learning, corporate training, marcomms, AI assistants, and the Metaverse. With international customers, D-ID’s core competencies in the human face and deep learning enable its partners to create exciting and engaging content that was until now unimaginable. To find out more, visit www.d-id.com.
D-ID Media Contact:
Shoshi Grossman
Senior Associate, Si14 Global Communications
+1-347-389-0461
| MyHeritage Ltd., P.O.Box 50, 3 Ariel Sharon Blvd., Or Yehuda, Israel 6037606, Israel, +972-3-6280000 |
MyHeritage Blast From the Past
I am thrilled to announce the launch of our first-ever podcast, Blast From My Past — now available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify and Apple.
The Blast From My Past podcast will feature the incredible true stories of people whose lives were changed by what they discovered through MyHeritage about their family’s pasts — whether it was a close relative they never knew existed, the key to unlocking an old family mystery, or a newfound connection to a long-forgotten legacy.
Our debut episode, “The Secret of Ereikoussa,” drops today! It tells the story of Yvette Corporan, a bestselling author, and Emmy Award-winning producer who set out on a quest to confirm the extraordinary story her grandmother told her: that the Greek Island community where she grew up conspired to hide a Jewish family right under the noses of their Nazi occupiers. Listeners will follow along as Yvette digs for clues, and, with the assistance of MyHeritage CEO Gilad Japhet, makes discoveries beyond what she had ever imagined.This episode is just the first in a series of breathtaking and deeply moving stories. We can’t wait to share the rest of them with you!
Be among the first to follow the podcast:
- Click here to follow and listen on Spotify
- Click here to follow and listen on Apple
- Tap here on your mobile device to follow and listen from your favorite podcast app
- You can also follow and listen on your web browser by clicking here
Please help us reach a wider audience by sharing about the podcast and encouraging everyone you know to follow or subscribe to it, too!
Enjoy!
Daniel Horowitz Genealogy Expert
| MyHeritage Ltd., P.O.Box 50, 3 Ariel Sharon Blvd., Or Yehuda, Israel 6037606, Israel, +972-3-6280000 |
NGS Early Bird Discount Ends Soon
| Early-Bird Discount Ends Soon View this email in your browser |
| EARLY-BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS 18 MARCH FOR NGS 2022 FAMILY HISTORY CONFERENCE IN SACRAMENTO Register Now |
| Dear : Be sure to lock in your early-bird discount by 18 March for the NGS 2022 Family History Conference in Sacramento, California, 24-28 May. Early-bird discounts are available to those who plan to attend the conference in person. After 18 March, the price of registration for NGS members will increase from $245 to $295 for all four days. Non-members will pay $345, up from $295. All attendees will receive the Conference Compendium, which includes the program, syllabus, exhibitor information, and more, about two weeks before the conference begins in PDF format. Available exclusively to early-bird registrants is the option to purchase a USB of the Compendium for ten dollars. If you need to cancel your registration for any reason prior to 18 April, you will receive a complete refund minus a $50 service fee. If you are unable to attend the in-person conference, you may want to register for our Online at Home virtual conference, 27-28 May, or purchase a twenty or forty session On-Demand package of conference lectures. To learn more, see the conference program, Our American Mosaic. You can also join us on Zoom 7 March 2022, at 8:30 p.m. ET for a live Questions & Answers session on all things conference! Register for the Zoom event here. We will have a panel of NGS staff and volunteers providing conference information – you will be able to get answers then and there. We are looking forward to meeting you and hearing your questions. Registration for all conference options closes 18 April 2022. For up-to-date information about conference hotels and COVID-19 policies and other rules, visit the conference website. Be sure to sign up for the NGS conference blog to receive conference news and announcements. Register Now   |
| Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society inspires, connects, and leads the family history community by fostering collaboration and best practices in advocacy, education, preservation, and research. We enable people, cultures, and organizations to discover the past and create a lasting legacy. The Falls Church, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian. |
Seattle Genealogical Society News
WRITE IT UP!
“You should write that family story.” Sound familiar? But you hesitate. Where should I start? What is the best format? Should I include resources and citations? How much detail should I include? Other people ask themselves the same questions. SGS wants to form a group where you can share your writing without fear and talk about writing to be shared with family as well as other genealogists. If this sounds interesting to you, send an email message to Education@seagnsoc.org.
URGENT NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS
FOR IRISH WEEK
Jean Roth is a long-time SGS member, past president of the Seattle Genealogical Society, and most recent past leader of the SGS Irish Special Interest Group. She is also the SGS representative to the Seattle Irish Heritage Club. Jean is looking for volunteers for a couple of events during the upcoming Irish Week in March 2022. If you can help, please contact her by calling or texting 206-295-6125.
IRISH FESTIVAL – Volunteers are needed for the Irish Festival to cover the booth from 10:30 AM until 5:00 PM both Saturday and Sunday, March 12th and 13th. Volunteers will interact with the public about Irish genealogical research, particularly emphasizing the availability of so many records online now to facilitate researching Irish ancestors. During the Irish Festival, Jean will conduct a 1-hour beginner class from 1-2 pm upstairs at the Seattle Center.
IRISH GENEALOGY WORKSHOP – Volunteers are needed for the Irish Genealogy Workshop hosted by the Irish Heritage Club on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at Fairview Church, 844 NE 78th St, Seattle, WA 98115 . The speakers are all lined up and volunteers are needed to support the day. It costs $50 for seminar/$15 for lunch. Volunteers will receive free entry to the program for the day and lunch will be provided for them.
Once again, if you can help, please contact Jean by calling or texting 206-295-6125.
SGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING
SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2022
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
ONLINE VIRTUAL
Reminder to SGS members, please mark your calendars and plan to attend this membership meeting. The slate of officers for the 2022-2023 term will be presented. Check the Calendar of Events on the SGS website for the Zoom meeting id.
Immediately following the membership meeting, Lisa S Gorrell will be our Second Saturday Speaker Series presenter. She will lecture on Finding Records to Help Document Your Farming Ancestor, an important issue for many of us.
IT’S COMING! IRISH WEEK 2022
FRIDAY, MARCH 11 – SATURDAY, MARCH 19
Celebrate Irish Week 2022 with the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle. Events include–
- a festival,
- a parade,
- a 5K dash, and
- St. Patrick’s Day Mass (live stream)
- Irish Genealogy Workshop – all day, in person, see details below!
- Event details here
Irish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond
with Steven Morrison, professional genealogist
Fairview Church
844 NE 78th St,
Seattle, WA 98115
March 19, 2022
Check in begins at 8:30 AM; program begins at 9:00 AM
Topics
- Intro to Irish Genealogical Research
- Detours Around Irish Road Blocks and Stone Walls
- Irish Records Online with Find My Past and Ancestry
- Favorite Resources for Irish Genealogy
- Irish Quaker Migration
- Treasures of Online and Onsite Research
Cost is $40 early-bird; $50 after March 12; $55 at the door.
Optional lunch for $15. Free parking.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/irish-genealogy-seminar-tickets-273682480667
SAVE THE DATEJewish Genealogical Society of Washington State,
2nd Monday meetings
usually 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST
JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 PM unless noted otherwise. Watch their website for details on the next meeting.
The next regular meeting will be on Monday, Mar 14, 2022. Janette Silverman wil present a recap of her 27-day trip to eastern Europe.
Sunday, March 6, 2022 at 10:00 am, there will be a special meeting co-sponsored by the JGSBC and JGSWS. Megan Lewis of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum will speak.
http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php
FamilySearch,
“RootsTech 2022”
March 3-5, 2022
The world’s largest family history conference, RootsTech will be online virtual again this year and it’s free. What’s not to like. Registration is required so do so today:
https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/rootstech-2022-registration
Irish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond with
Steven Morrison, professional genealogist,
Fairview Church,
844 NE 78th St,
Seattle, WA 98115
Saturday, March 19, 2022
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Topics
- Intro to Irish Genealogical Research
- Detours Around Irish Road Blocks and Stone Walls
- Irish Records Online with Find My Past and Ancestry
- Favorite Resources for Irish Genealogy
- Irish Quaker Migration
- Treasures of Online and Onsite Research
Check in begins at 8:30; program at 9:00.
Cost is $40 early-bird; $50 after March 12; $55 at the door.
Optional lunch for $15. Free parking.
https://irishclub.org
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/irish-genealogy-seminar-tickets-273682480667
AppGenInstitute,
Spring Semester Course Offerings,
March thru May dates,
Virtual Online
Two of the founders of the Applied Genealogy Institute are names that should be familiar to you from programs you’ve attended at SGS, Jill Morelli, CG, and Mary Kircher Roddy, CG. Jill prepared the message below to introduce the upcoming classes that will be able next spring.
‘Applied Genealogy Institute is excited to announce the next series of educational offerings to the genealogical community for our Spring semester. Whether you are educational addicts like we are or one who just wants to “do it right,” you will find a course for you in the Spring offerings.
Five courses will be offered: “Foundations I: Using the Records,” “Advanced Swedish Genealogy,” “Advanced Genetic Genealogy,” “Catholic Records” and “Getting Lost in Ledgers.” Registration will open after the first of the year.
If you want to know more, check our website and sign up for the mailing list: https://appliedgen.institute ‘
Olympia Genealogical Society,
“DNA: Today’s Matchmaker”
with Diahan Southard,
Saturday, April 9, 2022
8:30 am – 3:30 pm PDT
Diahan will speak on issues like :
- Making sense of your DNA results
- What to do if your matches don’t have family trees
- Organizing your matches
- Using female DNA to answer questions
For full details, visit:
http://olygensoc.org
SGS 2022 Spring Seminar,
“Lands and Maps and Deeds, Oh My!”
Friday-Sunday, June 3-5, 2022
Attendees will have 3 registration choices:
- All 3 days
- Friday and Saturday only
- Friday and Sunday only
As usual, SGS members will receive a discount on the registration fee.
In the coming weeks, watch the SGS Calendar of Events, the SGS social media pages, and the eNews! for further details on this seminar featuring Cyndi Ingle, Angela Packer McGhie, Rebecca Whitman Koford, Melinda Kashuba, and Kimberly Powell. You won’t want to miss any of these outstanding speakers.
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658
Hours : Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Masks are required at all times inside the Good Shepherd Center. Due to COVID the events listed below continue to be virtual, online via Zoom. Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting.
NOTICE: SGS has imposed more security on our Zoom meetings. Some meetings will begin with a waiting room. The host must take action to let people into each meeting. The host will try to open the waiting room about 10 minutes ahead of time. Please be patient.
All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted
Wednesday, Mar 2, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Saturday, Mar 5, 2022, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch Interest Group with Lou Daly (Virtual), Discover the many ways to use FamilySearch. At each meeting a different aspect of the website will be featured. There will be time for Q & A. Want to be included on the mail listing? Email Lou: loudaly@nwlink.com
Sunday, Mar 6, 2022, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, DNA WORKSHOP (Virtual), with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens. To participate you must be on the DNA SIG email list. Contact Cary at sgsdnasig@gmail.com to join.
Tuesday, Mar 8, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary.
Wednesday, Mar 9, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Wednesday, Mar 9, 2022, 7:00 pm-9:00 am, MAC Computer Interest Group (Virtual), Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske for users of MAC (Apple) computers and the Reunion genealogy software. Co-chairs Lisa Marker and Diane Hettrick. You must be on the MAC SIG email list to join the meeting. Email macusersig@seagensoc.org to be included on the list.
Saturday, Mar 12, 2022, 12:30 pm-1:00 pm, SGS Membership Meeting, the slate of officers for 2022-2023 will be presented. This will be a virtual meeting. Check the SGS Calendar of Events.
Saturday, Mar 12, 2022, 1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Second Saturday Speaker Series: Finding Records to Help Document Your Farming Ancestor with Lisa S Gorrell.
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Saturday, Mar 19, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG is back! With Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information.
Saturday, Mar 19, 2022, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, German SIG is back! With Carolyn Schott. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information.
Sunday, Mar 20, 2022, 1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New, Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance.
Tuesday, Mar 22, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary.
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Sunday, Mar 27, 2022, 1:00 pm, Japanese American SIG, with Caitlin Oiye Coon. This is the third meeting of our new SIG. Please sign up if you would like to attend; send an email to family.history@densho.org
Wednesday, Mar 30, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Family Search Questions
We will be having our March Membership Meeting Tuesday March 8th beginning at 6:30 pm.
This will be a virtual Zoom meeting.
Our speaker this month will be: Kathryn Grant.
Her Topic will be: What’s New with FamilySearch and Answering Questions You Have About Family Search
Kathryn gives webinars for the BYU Family History Library and presents at other family history events. In addition, she’s a regular contributor to the FamilySearch blog. Her specialty is helping new family historians find success-and maybe even avoid some of the mistakes she’s made.
If you would like to attend please email Publicity@tpcgs.org and I will forward you the Zoom meeting details once they are available.Tim Ward
Clark County Genealogical Society Scavenger Hunt
We search and answer, But are Kids good at Search and Answer games? How will we know? Let them Play!
Beginning March 7 thru 11, 2022. Are you a player? Scavenger Hunt: Seven (7) daily questions – all the answers available from online sources. This game not only builds your search skills but also delivers great daily prizes. Student and Adult Winners for Daily ($25) and Grand ($100) prizes. Enter online at www.ccgs-wa.org
MyHeritage adds French Records
The first announcement is that we have just added 269 million family tree profile records from Filae to MyHeritage. If you have French roots, you will almost certainly find some family members in this collection. This addition comes alongside the 8 million other historical records we added from France and Norway since the beginning of 2022. Please read more here.
The second announcement is that we’ll be running a special offer for uploading DNA kits to MyHeritage. From tomorrow, March 1–8, 2022, people who have taken a DNA test with other services will be able to upload their DNA to MyHeritage and enjoy all our advanced DNA features for free — including Ethnicity Estimates, Chromosome Browser, Theory of Family Relativity™️, and more. If you tested with another DNA service and haven’t uploaded your DNA to MyHeritage yet, there’s never been a better time! Visit myheritage.com/dna/upload to get started.
Please be sure to spread the good news to your friends and followers!
And of course — don’t forget to tune in to our annual keynote on the RootsTech main stage this Thursday at 2:30 P.M. MST. Trust me, it will be worth it!
Enjoy!
Daniel Horowitz Genealogy Expert
Eastside Genealogical Society Irish Research
For more information about EGS, Visit our website
Whidbey Island Genealogical Searchers “Finding Jane Graham’s Parents” by Mary Kircher Roddy