Reckoning with Your Roots

Tailored genealogy guidance to explore your family's past and challenge systemic racism

Tailored Genealogical Guidance

Enhance your genealogy journey with personalized guidance, helping you confidently uncover your family's unique stories.

Personal and Community Healing

Heal personal wounds and drive community change by reconciling with your past.

Empathetic and Insightful Support

Unlock a deeper understanding of your history and its broader implications.

The Problem of Disconnection

In today's world, it's all too common for folks, especially in the white community, to feel a bit like we’re floating without an anchor when it comes to our past. Ever heard someone say they’re “a little bit of everything”? That's what I'm talking about. This isn't just about not knowing our great-great-grandma's name. It's about missing a clear picture of our cultural and racial history, which can leave us feeling detached from who we are, and the real effects our ancestors had on society.

Without a solid grip on where we come from, it's tough to really dive into or even start conversations about historical and current injustices tied to our lineages. This gap can lead to feelings of helplessness or a hesitance to tackle conversations about race—meaning vital stories and lessons remain buried.

Reconnecting Through Radical Reckoning

As your coach, I'm here to offer more than just a deep dive into your family tree. This work is about really connecting with your history in a way that fosters understanding, healing, and a good dose of accountability, while also sparking joy and satisfying a deep yearning for connection.

Imagine the thrill of uncovering the craftsmanship of weavers in your lineage or feeling the weight of an ancestor’s decisions—like those who sought new beginnings but ended up perpetuating injustices. This work helps us to celebrate our ancestors while critically assessing their actions, without falling into the trap of either lionizing or unjustly demonizing them.

I’ve got a cozy spot all set up for us to explore all of these intriguing and sometimes tricky bits of your past. As we dig into your family’s history, I’ll be right there to help you make sense of everything from old census records to unexpected family revelations. You won’t have to do it alone—I’ll provide all the support and know-how you need, every step of the way. We’ll face what we find, grasp the bigger picture, and take steps toward not just personal healing but also playing a part in creating a fairer society.

Through this process, you're going to reclaim your stories, connect the dots with your roots, and pick up some powerful insights to help spark change and promote healing in yourself and your community. Ready to get started? Let’s make history personal and purposeful.

My Services

Part 1: Genealogy Research Coaching and Support

Jump into exploring your family tree with coaching and support sessions. I’ll help you uncover your roots, blending joyful discovery with a heart-centered anti-racist perspective. Together, we'll celebrate your heritage and look at your family’s past with both care and honesty.

➣ Initial Session: We'll kick things off by setting your personal goals, laying the groundwork for our journey together.

➣ Seven More Sessions: We'll meet regularly to keep the momentum going, diving deeper each time.

➣ Ongoing Coaching: As you uncover new information, I’ll help you understand and interpret what you’re learning, ensuring you feel confident and informed.

➣ Exploring Ancestor Trip Options: If you're interested, we can also explore the possibility of visiting places significant to your ancestors, making your journey even more tangible.

➣ Meeting Schedule: We'll connect twice a month over the next four months. Between our sessions, you’ll have time to do your own research and reflection, bringing back new insights and questions to our meetings.

Cost: $2500

Part 2: Planning Your Ancestor Trip

Build on what you’ve learned with a trip to your ancestors’ lands. We’ll help you plan a visit that deepens your understanding of your roots. It’s the perfect way to bring the stories you’ve uncovered in Part 1 to life and connect even more closely with your heritage.

*Prior completion of Part I is required

➣ Collaborate with Experts: We'll work closely with local municipalities, historians, genealogists, archives, and museums to enrich your understanding and uncover deeper insights.

➣ Master Genealogy Tools: I'll guide you on how to effectively use Ancestry.com and other genealogy sites, helping you connect with knowledgeable locals and access critical information.

➣ Find Living Relatives: Explore potential connections with living relatives, adding personal dimensions to your family history.

➣ Prepare for Your Journey: I’ll help you set up for a successful trip, ensuring you’re well-prepared to explore your roots firsthand.

➣ Debrief and Reflect: Once you return, we’ll sit down together to debrief your journey, discussing your discoveries and what they mean for your understanding of your heritage.

Cost: $2500

Note: I am available to accompany clients on their ancestor trips (separate cost).

How It Works

Step 1: Reach out

Schedule a chat with me to talk about what you’re looking for and how we can make your genealogy exploration as enlightening and impactful as possible.

Step 2: Let’s talk

During our initial conversation, we’ll dive into what you hope to discover and determine the best approach to meet your goals. You’ll get a feel for how we can blend genealogy research with an anti-racist perspective to truly understand your roots and their wider social impact while discovering the joy & connection that comes with learning about your heritage.

Step 3: Begin your journey

Once we’ve mapped out our plan, you’ll begin your personalized coaching sessions. Whether you're looking to understand your ancestral impact, reckon with your heritage, or even plan a visit to significant locations from your family's past, I’m here to guide you every step of the way.

Meet Kari: Your Guide Through the Past

Hey there! I'm Kari Points, a proud white dyke and a reunited adoptee straight out of Durham, NC. With roots in working-class Southern Indiana and over 30 years of experience in blending social justice with personal history, I’m here to guide you through uncovering your family’s past. Our sessions are filled with humor and ease, making each meeting feel more like a conversation with a friend than a formal lecture. Together, we’ll not only explore the implications of your heritage but also celebrate the joy and profound connection that comes from discovering where and who you come from.

Exploring family history, especially through an anti-racist lens, can be daunting. That's why I keep things light and approachable, helping you navigate the tougher parts of your legacy with support and without judgment. We delve into the past with an eye toward understanding and addressing its impacts today.

Fluent in German and handy with Spanish, I bring a worldly view to our sessions, helping you connect dots across continents and cultures. I'm deeply invested in making sure our journey into the past makes a positive impact on the future. We’ll laugh, we might cry, but most importantly, we’ll learn—a lot.

No matter your background or how overwhelming this may seem, I’m here with a warm welcome and a promise: we’ll navigate this complex terrain together, making sense of where you come from and how you can use that knowledge for greater good. Let's get started and maybe shake up the family tree a little!

“Kari’s commitment to a deep dive into genealogy is unparalleled in my experience. She is so clear about its importance in helping those of us who are white claim our histories so that we can honor what we can and transgress what we must. I have been privileged to witness her personal journey with her own family histories. Working with her is a true gift to yourself and your lineage.”

—Tema O.

“Kari deftly guided me into the world of anti-racist genealogy with deep care and compassion. As a mixed-race Black woman, I hold a complicated and violent racial history within my own body and ancestry. Kari held my hand, literally and figuratively, as we began to uncover this history. With tears and laughter, with truth and steadfastness. I cannot recommend her work highly enough."

—Autumn B.

“Kari has a natural intuition that helped guide me through the process of refining my question with regard to genealogy coaching. This intuition, combined with her experience with the tools of genealogical investigation and training facilitation, set me up for what felt like success to me - knowing my heritage better and connecting genealogy work to the work of lessening harm and getting free of white supremacy.”

—JL A.

FAQ

  • The folks who come to me are as varied as the stories they discover! Typically, they're people who are curious about their family's past and want to understand their own place within the broader narrative of history, especially in terms of race and social justice. My clients often include:

    ➣ Progressive folks looking to deepen their understanding of racial issues through the lens of their own ancestry.

    ➣ Those who have stumbled upon or inherited genealogical research and are seeking to approach these findings with an anti-racist perspective.

    ➣ People who want to deepen relationships with their own family storytellers and historians as a way to open the door to meaningful, more effective conversations about race and racism with white relatives.

    ➣ Educators, historians, and activists wanting to enrich their work or personal narratives with deeper historical insights.

    ➣ Anyone feeling a sense of responsibility or curiosity about the impact their ancestors had and how it shapes their current reality and social views.

    No matter where they start, everyone comes with this goal: to learn about their heritage in a way that acknowledges and addresses its implications on today's social issues. They come ready to explore, learn, and sometimes confront challenging truths, all with the aim of contributing to a more just and informed society.

  • Not at all! You're welcome to dive into genealogy coaching without any prior setup—just bring your curiosity and readiness to explore your family history.

    The only thing to consider is whether you may be interested in my second offering. Part 1 of my services, which focuses on Genealogy Research Coaching and Support, must be completed before moving on to Part 2, which is Planning Your Ancestor Trip. Part 1 sets the foundation by helping you understand your roots and preparing you to deeply connect with your ancestral lands in Part 2. So, if you're looking to take that journey back to where your ancestors came from, let's start with Part 1 and take it from there!

  • Absolutely, yes! Exploring your genealogy can be even more enriching when you do it alongside family members. Whether it’s a sibling, parent, or cousin, having family join our sessions can add more perspectives and deepen the understanding of your shared history. It's a wonderful way to connect or reconnect with each other through shared stories and discoveries. At this time, we can include one additional family member for an extra fee of $500. Just let me know who’d like to join in, and we’ll make it a family affair!

  • Absolutely! While my experience is more extensive with European genealogical research, I am enthusiastic about assisting clients from any racial or ethnic background. For instance, I've delved into the history of an aunt who came from Japan and have helped a friend trace her great-grandfather’s journey from Barbados to St. Croix, including his employment on a sugar plantation. Each new family history is a learning experience for me, and I'm fully committed to exploring different research techniques suited to diverse ancestries.

    Whether it involves conducting oral histories with living relatives, utilizing tools like Google Translate for non-English records, or diving deep into family photographs for clues, I’m here to guide you. My approach might lead us to different kinds of results, but the journey is always rich and rewarding.

Get in Touch

Got questions or just want to chat more about how we can explore your family history together? I’d love to hear from you! Drop me a line right here and I’ll get back to you.

Ready to take the next step? You can easily book a chat with me by scheduling a time on my calendar. I’m excited to help you start this amazing journey!