Friday 17 January 2014

Greetings From Sunny San Diego, California!

Holding my grandmother's mirror
Wow!  I made it!  My name is Yvette Porter Moore, and my online name is The RootDigger.  I have a difficult time pinpointing the exact day and year that I began my family research.  I believe I was born with the questions ingrained in my psyche & heart, "Who am I? & Where Do I come from?"  I remember being inquisitive in anything that wasn't mine in the house.  I would go through my mother and father's  papers, photo albums, and anything that was in a folder in the file cabinet.  Nothing much got by me.  I remember my mother being so upset because I was tearing photos out of her photo album.  I had to have been about 4 years old.  I loved the people in them, and I wanted to know who they were.  I wanted those photos to be mine.  I had no idea that this first act of curiosity was going to be my mission in life.  I began digging then, and I continue this day to dig.  I now try to tell the story of those that impacted my life through the generations from blood ancestry to spiritual ancestry.


Yvette Porter Moore
Happily Adopted by Loving Parents
When I was eight, I found out I was adopted. Questions about my adoption did not rise in me until I was fifteen and I gave birth to my first child. I wanted to know who I was, where did I come from, and who in this world looked like me?  There was not much I could do about getting my questions answered because I was underage, and had to wait for the ripe ol' age of eighteen.  

Yes, my mother told me that I was born in Los Angeles.  She told me my mother was Mexican and my father was African-American.  She also let me know that they were very young and were not able to provide for me.  This is all I knew.  I didn't know if I had siblings or anything else.  I was raised in an African American household, and the fact that I had Mexican Ancestry appealed to me, however, I did not know much but wanted to.  It was not until I was eighteen years old that I was able to get non-identifying information on my birth family.  I was thrilled when it came packaged in the mail.  It revealed what I already knew, except there was more information added.  My father was described as having an olive complexion.  Both sets of grandparents were still living at the time of my adoption.  My mother was anxious to get back home after she gave birth to me.  My mother's race was Caucasian and Mexican.  Then at the bottom of the paper, standing out-bright as day, My name: Victoria.  Wow!  A clue!  Can you believe that?  I was thrilled because I knew with that information, I would be able to discover more.


My parents Betty & Walter Porter,
and brother Marshall


I have since found both birth families.  I have relationships with some members of each family and I am beginning to feel after twenty-five years of discovery, bonded.  I feel like I belong.  I am who I am and all I have to do is "Be."  Be that Sister, Be that Auntie, Be that Cousin; Nothing more and nothing less.

I currently research all four sides of my family ancestry.  I research my adopted and birth families.  I have many many cousins and I am thrilled that I have taken the time to search and to make my own family.


My Birth father Family


I am so excited to be a part of the World Wide Genealogy Blog.  I thank Julie Goucher for including me in this new community of bloggers.  I hope you come along with us as we take you through our journey worldwide.

I mainly got interested in genealogy research when my mother Betty Mae Peters encouraged me to look up information for her so she could add to her memoirs of New York.  I had decided after she passed away that I would write her life in Sugar Hill, and so that's when I began digging.  Some of those stories can be found here: A Taste of Sugar Hill.

I currently am the Vice President of the San Diego African American Genealogy Research Group.  I am a part of a few communities online such as The African American Slave Ancestry Research Group, Geneabloggers, and Our Black History. I am also on "The Clock" to earn my way to being a Board Certified Genealogist.

I have many blogs but they are all linked to The Ancestors Have Spoken.  I find that it is my calling to tell the stories of my ancestors because they want to be known.  The more time goes by, I feel the urgency to research and write more.  It is my hope that I spark an interest in others and that I also drop cousin bait all over the world.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me, and my ancestors.  I know that they are smiling and rooting us all on!! 

32 comments:

  1. I was thoroughly immersed in your narrative thsnks for sharing and wetting my appetite re Worldwide geneology. Valerie Lewis-Mosley or @ SankofaGriot.

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    1. Thank you Valerie! I appreciate your comment. :-)

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  2. Happy to see you here Yvette! What a beautiful family photo.

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    1. Thank you Kristin...Look forward to your posts too. Going to start reading tonight. :-)

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  3. Wonderful ... so happy to know you and yours. Not many of us can boast bout having four families to begin our research. We are the lucky ones!!! I was not adopted but had guardians, all of whom are my family. Anxiously awaiting the nest installment.

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  4. Not many of us can boast that we have four families to begin our research. I was not adopted but had guardians along with my birth family, all of whom are rooting me along. Anxiously awaiting your next installment!!!

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    1. Thank you Mary for your words of encouragement! We are so blessed to have others loving us. Good luck to you and your research.

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  5. The Sky's the Limit! So glad U doing U!

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  6. What a great first post. Welcome Yvette & I look forward to your future posts.

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    1. Thank you so much Julie! Thank you for this great opportunity! Your Rock!!!

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  7. Hi Yvette, I have read some of your fascinating blogs before. My attention was caught by your Mexican connection as I had spent 6 months studying in Mexico a couple of years ago. Really looking forward to more posts
    Cheers
    Di

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    1. Thank you Diane! I am pleased to know you have read some of my posts. I am so interested in learning more about my Mexican, Native American Ancestry, and hopefully will break more brick walls this year. Thank you for your comments. :-)

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  8. Yvette...I really enjoyed reading your post! I just started reading A Taste of Sugar Hill...interesting stories.

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    1. Thank you Dolores! I really appreciate you checking out some of my other stories. I guess now, I will do some more. :-)

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  9. What a fascinating family story you have Yvette, and how wonderful that you've been able to find, and bond with, your birth family as well. Really looking forward to hearing more...Julie does indeed rock for bringing us all together in one place like this.

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    1. Thank you so much for your comments Pauleen! The interesting thing about getting to bond with my birth families is that once you get over the honeymoon, you get to really interact like family you have known all your life. You get the bad and the good...and I think that is what makes us stronger. I have some challenges with a few members, however this all has been worth the experience.

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  10. You are a great writer...I can read your excitement in your words!!!

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    1. Thank you dsmillertime. I appreciate your comments :-)

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  11. This website is so wonderful already in introducing me to new family history stories with backgrounds I know nothing about. Yours is such a fascinating one and your pleasure at discovering your birth family is infectious. I look forward to reading more.

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    1. Thank you Sue! Thank you for your comments.

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  12. Yvette, what a wonderful post! I've "known" you (online) for quite some time now, but I didn't really know you at all! Thanks for this great introduction to who you are and where you came from. I'm truly inspired, and hope to create a similar post, soon!

    Blessings,
    Renate

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    1. Hi Renate! Thank you for connecting with me. I am following one of your blogs. It is funny how we can know people online and then not really know them. I am so glad I could inspire you. I look forward to learning more about you.

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  13. Yvette, Riveting story. And, I do love that family photo! Fascinating that you have been a "researcher" from such a young age.

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    1. Hi Carol! Isn't that something?! Imagine something that was not cool...going through my parents things ended up being cool after all.

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  14. Thanks for Sharing Yvette. It must be exciting doing all LINES. Love the Pictures and can't wait to hear more of your family History. Really an Honor what your doing. Glad you bring your expertise to the table at AAGSAR.

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  15. True,

    My sister in Spirit. I appreciate that you enjoy my stories as I do enjoy yours. I can't wait for the day when we discover that we are cousins. Thank you for your comments. :-)

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  16. I didn't know you before now, Yvette. I'm so glad you joined this collaboration and are sharing your stories.

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    1. It is great to meet so many new people. I look forward to getting to know you, and I appreciate your welcome.

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  17. Loved reading your story and looking at your photos. Looking forward to hearing more of your stories.

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    1. Thank you Kate. I appreciate your comments. :-)

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  18. Such an interesting life story you've had already! Two Moms and two Dads -- more to research and learn about. :)

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    1. Oh boy Schalene! Lots of stories to be told. Thank you for reading my post. :-)

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World Wide Genealogy Team