Dear Michigan Library Colleagues, (Please excuse the cross-posting.) The Pinckney Library (125 Putnam St., Pinckney, MI 48169) is hosting an interactive genealogy workshop by Katherine R. Willson on *Saturday, May 16th at 11am to 1pm* as a tie-in program celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the United States of America. *Description:* *"America’s Story: Opportunity, Diversity, and Belonging Across 250 Years" <https://pinckneylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Americas-Story-May-16-scaled.jpg>* America’s story is one of families seeking opportunity while facing exclusion and hardship. This interactive presentation follows that story across many communities, including Native Americans, early colonial settlers, African Americans, and European immigrants of the 19th and 20th centuries. It explores how people moved through a rapidly changing country, sometimes by choice and sometimes under pressure, and how immigrants and other marginalized groups navigated questions of rights, identity, and belonging. Guided reflection encourages attendees to consider how opportunity, resilience, and exclusion shaped these communities, with practical ideas for preserving those stories for future generations. This 2-hour workshop expands on the lecture with step-by-step guidance for writing ancestral stories of opportunity, exclusion, and resilience, along with a demonstration of how to preserve those stories on major genealogy websites. *NOTE: *This is an In Person event at the Pinckney Library (125 Putnam St., Pinckney, MI 48169) and will not be recorded. Registration is required and can be done by calling the library at 734-878-3888 or going to: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfJneL2Pt_krK6jsVoy11bx7hq3H3bt4dbA... or scanning the QR code on the flier. For more information, please check out the program flier ( https://pinckneylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Americas-Story-May-16...) or contact Hope Siasoco at hsiasoco@pinckneylibrary.org Please feel free to share the flier and information to anyone who might be interested in participating in this interactive, genealogy workshop. Thank you in advance for your attention and interest. Sincerely, Hope Siasoco Library Director ------------------------------ She/Her Pinckney Community Public Library 125 Putnam St. Pinckney, MI 48169 Tel: 734-878-2952 Fax: 734-878-2907 Email: hsiasoco@pinckneylibrary.org