ROOTS & BRANCHES

I make no pretension of being objective about Diahan Southard, the genetic genealogy specialist who trades as Your DNA Guide.
From the first time I met her—when our exhibit hall tables were next to each other at an Ohio Genealogical Society conference about a decade ago—I found her engaging personality matched by her scientific knowledge and, most importantly, an unmatched gift for analogies that make the science understandable.
So when she reached out with a request for her latest project, I wasn’t about to let it go without commenting as your “Roots & Branches” columnist.
But before getting to that request, let’s back up and let her tell the story.
“Occasionally I get requests from TV producers asking if I want to be involved in their new DNA-related show. I have declined in the past, because the message or purpose of the show didn’t quite sit right with me,” Southard wrote. “Until last spring.”
That’s when she says she was contacted by two producers who were making exactly the kind of show she would want to make—one that, unlike many such shows that feature celebrities, would be about “regular people who have a passion for family and for discovery.” The fact that it would be made for PBS gave her an extra level of assurance that it would be a high-quality program.
“At first, I just filmed an interview, which was fun,” Southard wrote. “Then the producers asked me to host the show. I can’t even clearly communicate to you how honored I felt. Being the host meant I was able to follow this project every step of the way, and it has been so much fun. I even got to fly to New York and record in a real studio!”
The show Southard will host is “Your DNA Secrets Revealed,” and it premieres on PBS stations across America beginning Nov. 26.
“It communicates all the things we value in family history and DNA testing,” Southard wrote. “It showcases a wide range of experiences, and helps us see the transformation that learning about your family can bring.”
Most importantly to Southard is that the show moves beyond the initial “a ha” moment or first meetings of newly found kin. “I love how this show doesn’t focus just on the moment of discovery, but catches up with these families later, too, to see how this information has impacted them long-term,” she wrote.
So here’s Southard’s request: Write, call or email your local PBS station to ask them to pick up “Your DNA Secrets Revealed?” You can find your local station at this URL: https://www.pbs.org/stations/