Our Mission & Vision

Our mission is to delve into the fascinating world of Hispanic genealogy and inspire individuals to preserve and chronicle their personal histories, and share them with others. We are passionate about assisting the Hispanic community in discovering their ancestral roots, and we extend our services to anyone regardless of race, color, political affiliation, or religious beliefs.

As part of our commitment to making genealogy accessible to all, we have eliminated membership dues since January 2000. Our primary focus is on building a strong network of like-minded individuals through our monthly presentations and this website.

We are proud to offer our monthly presentations to the public free of charge. These presentations, held on the second Saturday of each month (excluding August and December) at the Orange Family History Center, 674 S. Yorba St. Orange, CA 92869, cover a range of genealogical topics, with an emphasis on Hispanic history. Our goal is to help each other navigate the various aspects of genealogical research and connect with knowledgeable speakers in the field.

SHHAR (pronounced "share") is a non-profit organization established in 1986 with the aim of assisting individuals in researching their Hispanic genealogy and family history. The organization's founding members, Tony Campos, Raul Guerra, Mimi Lozano, and Ophelia Marquez, initially gathered in Orange County, California to network and provide support to one another in their pursuit of family history. They held one-on-one support meetings at the Bolsa Family History Center in Westminster, California.

In 1987, SHHAR was formalized and quickly grew to become a national networking hub, with Raul Guerra serving as its first president. The organization's open and free lectures and workshops garnered support from distinguished historians and genealogists such as Dr. Julian Nava, former Ambassador to Mexico, and Professor Israel Cavazos Garza, Cronista (historian/archivist) for the State of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Over time, one of the quarterly meetings evolved into an annual conference, and membership expanded beyond local participants to individuals networking across the nation.

Today, SHHAR continues to fulfill its mission of helping individuals research and document their Hispanic genealogy and family history. Our organization boasts a diverse and active membership, with individuals from all backgrounds and levels of genealogical experience. We offer a variety of educational resources, including monthly presentations and workshops, online webinars, and a vast collection of research materials available to members. We also maintain a robust online community, where members can connect with each other, share their research findings, and seek assistance from others. Despite our growth and evolution, SHHAR remains dedicated to its core values of inclusivity, education, and community.

At SHHAR, we are often asked about the difference between our organization and SomosPrimos.com. While both organizations share a passion for promoting Spanish heritage and family ancestry, there are some key differences between the two.

SHHAR is a non-profit organization that holds regular meetings and participates in community events to promote Hispanic genealogy and family history. We produce and sell publications to support our mission and offer a variety of resources to help individuals with their research.

SomosPrimos.com, on the other hand, is a free online magazine that focuses on increasing awareness of worldwide Spanish history and heritage as a foundation for promoting family history research. Although SomosPrimos.com began as a SHHAR publication, it is now an independent entity, and nothing is sold on its website. Instead, it serves to promote the good works, books, events, and arts of others.

While Mimi Lozano, the editor of SomosPrimos.com, no longer serves on the SHHAR board, we are grateful for her many years of dedication to our organization.

It is important to note that the views expressed in SomosPrimos.com are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of SHHAR.