Photographs & Memories by Reem

04/21/2026

Looking forward to being on this panel.

Edward E. Curtis IV, editor of ARAB AMERICAN PUBLIC HISTORY, along with several contributors to the book, will participate in a webinar hosted by the Center for Arab Narratives on April 22 at 12:00 pm. Register here: https://accesscommunity-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SbvdLmyyQYCVCocbANdnhA #/registration

04/21/2026

I hope you will all join me at Saturday's Arab Family History Days hosted by the National Society for Arab & Arab American Genealogy! It is free and open to all. It is an important time to document and preserve our family history!

Speakers include Akram Khatar, Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies, Roula Chalhoub Akiki FamilySearch, and Linda K. Jacobs, scholar and author.

See you Saturday!

Registration is open for our free, virtual two-part program focused on Arab and Arab American family history research, documentation, and preservation.

This year, we expanded to two Saturdays to make room for more of the topics our community asked for:

Saturdays, April 25, 2026 & June 20, 2026

8:30 AM–12:30 PM Pacific /11:30 AM–3:30 PM Eastern (same for both days)

You only need to register once. One registration covers both days.
Register link at linktr.ee/arabamericangenealogy .

Day 1 Program Highlights

Roula Chalhoub Akiki (FamilySearch), Lebanese Family History

Linda K. Jacobs, PhD (scholar and author), Early Arab Immigrants in the United States

Akram Khater, PhD (Khayrallah Center), AI and Arab Genealogies: Updates from the Khayrallah Center

We will close with a NSAB Connect Discussion Session (open to all registrants): a space to connect, share resources, and continue conversations from the day’s sessions.

03/22/2026

I’m looking forward to presenting and helping those researching and documenting their Palestinian families next Saturday in Sacramento at NSAB’s Palestinian American Genealogy Hands-On In-Person Workshop. We still have a few spots open. It is free, but registration is required. Register here: https://forms.gle/KUG2KxmWK3B1hteM7 .

A few people have asked: “I can list my family back several generations, how will this workshop help me?”

Having a list of names is a meaningful start, but it isn’t the same as documenting, preserving, and recording your family history with sources, records, or stories that can be passed down.

In this workshop, we’ll share practical ways for Palestinian families to preserve family stories, find historical documentation, and organize what you already know. If you don't know where to start, this is definitely the place for you.

This matters deeply to me personally as I work to pass down my own family’s story. Instead of allowing our families to be erased from history, we are doing the work to document that history. I want to do my part to make sure we are all doing this work.

If you’re interested, I hope you’ll join us in Sacramento on March 28. If you’re not able to attend, please sign up for the NSAB newsletter to stay informed about future workshops and upcoming programs we hope to offer. See linktr.ee/arabamericangenealogy to sign up.

01/15/2026

I’m starting 2026 by sharing a project that's been long in the making. I wrote a chapter on Arab American genealogy for the upcoming book Arab American Public History, edited by Edward E. Curtis IV and coming out in February from Temple University Press.

In the chapter, I talk about how family history is public history and how Arab Americans are researching, documenting, and preserving our family stories. I hope you will check it out!

Arab American Public History I’m excited to share a professional milestone: I contributed a chapter to the upcoming book Arab American Public History, edited by Edward E. Curtis IV, which will be p…

10/05/2025

The National Genealogical Society (NGS) recognizes excellence in the field of genealogy by presenting awards and competitions to individuals, societies, libraries, and other organizations. Do you know someone or an organization deserving an award? Please go to the NGS website linked below to learn more about the Awards and Competitions categories.

It's not too early to submit deserving people, organizations, books, and newsletters for Awards and Competitions. The deadline is 15 December 2025, but don't wait - nominate before you get busy with fall activities and holidays. Review all categories and submission details at https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/awards-competitions. Please share this information so we can honor wonderful work done in our community.

09/19/2025

Looking forward to learning more about using AI prompts for genealogical research.

Register NOW! https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/genealogy-courses/gentechtoolbox/

07/10/2025

Join me virtually on July 10th at 5:00pm PST talking about Palestinian American Genealogy.

07/01/2025

Looking forward to giving this virtual presentation for the California State Library’s Sutro Library on July 10.

Join us for a free virtual talk exploring the fascinating world of Palestinian American genealogy! Professional genealogist and community historian Reem Awad-Rashmawi will guide us through how to research Palestinian ancestry using records available in the U.S. and abroad, tracing lineages from today back through the British Mandate and Ottoman periods. Register now at https://libraryca.libcal.com/calendar/californiastatelibrary?cid=17752&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=17752&inc=0 National Society for Arab & Arab American Genealogy

06/21/2025

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be speaking at the The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society - NYG&B’s panel: "Preserving Your New York Story: Your Chance to Ask the Experts" to be held on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT / 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PDT, in-person at 36 West 44th Street, Suite 711, New York, NY and online.

For more information and the registration link, please see

Join us as we celebrate a successful first chapter in the “Preserving Your New York Story” series with an in person and live-streamed panel discussion!

05/14/2025

Can wait until NGS 2025!! I will be attending the sessions and several of the meetups! I am looking forward to seeing those who are attending!

Reach out on the Whova app if you want to meet up or have questions about NGS or the Conference.

03/06/2025

📍 Live from Salt Lake City at RootsTech 2025!

What an incredible experience — Starting with inspiring presentations on family history research, photo and record preservation, advancements in AI and other technology, DNA research, and so much more.

The in-person Expo Hall is absolutely buzzing, filled with vendors offering everything you could imagine related to genealogy and family history.

One personal highlight — I got my copy of the new NGS Forensic Genealogy book signed by the authors! I also stopped by the FamilySearch MENA booth to have my name beautifully written in Arabic calligraphy — such a special touch. And at the Heritage Theater Stage, I watched Blanche Araj Shaheen teach the crowd how to make humus!

Even if you couldn’t attend in person, you can still join the fun online at rootstech.org — it’s free to access tons of on-demand videos and sessions.

And while you’re at it, please check out the virtual expo booth for the National Society for Arab and Arab American Genealogy (NSAB) at https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/expohall/national-society-for-arab-and-arab-american-genealogy. You can also find videos from RootsTech at National Society for Arab & Arab American Genealogy.

With so much to explore, it’s no wonder I had to take a little break on the fun hanging swings in the center of the Expo Hall! 😄

Let me know if you check out the NSAB online booth — would love to hear your thoughts!

01/06/2025

I am starting 2025 by writing a weekly blog on my website to meet the "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" 2025 Challenge from Amy Johnson Crow. The prompt this week is "In the Beginning." I wrote about my great-grandfather Austin Miles Taylor and my first experience with formal genealogical education.

I am starting 2025 with a genealogy challenge – Amy Johnson Crow’s “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” Challenge. I tried to meet this challenge in 2021, but many things got in the way, and I did not …