SCGS DNA Interest Group Participates in Marcus Lyon's ALTA Opening Reception

As visitors explored Marcus Lyon's portraits and ancestry profiles, members of the SCGS DNA Interest Group shared guidance on DNA testing and family history research.

What can DNA reveal about identity, ancestry, and the communities that shape our lives?

Those questions were at the heart of Alta / A Human Atlas of a City of Angels, a multimedia exhibition by British photographer and filmmaker Marcus Lyon. Presented at ReflectSpace in Glendale Central Library, the exhibition combines portrait photography, oral histories, genealogy, and ancestral DNA to explore the stories of 100 Angelenos whose lives and work contribute to the rich cultural fabric of Los Angeles.

On May 9, 2026, members of the Southern California Genealogical Society's DNA Interest Group participated in the exhibition's opening reception, helping visitors better understand the DNA and family history components of the project. The exhibition remains on view through July 12, 2026.

A Human Atlas of Los Angeles

For more than a decade, Lyon has created Human Atlas projects around the world, documenting communities through photography, interviews, and ancestral DNA analysis. The Los Angeles project, ALTA, focuses on 100 individuals selected for their contributions to the city and its future.

Each participant's portrait is accompanied by personal stories, family origins, and ancestry information derived from DNA testing. Together, the portraits create a collective portrait of Los Angeles itself—a city shaped by migration, heritage, and cultural exchange.

The exhibition invites viewers to consider how personal identity, family history, and community intersect.

Meet Some of the Angelenos Featured in ALTA

The following portraits, reproduced with permission from artist Marcus Lyon, feature 10 of the 100 individuals included in Alta / A Human Atlas of a City of Angels.

Portraits featured in the gallery, in order: Scarlett Paulina De Leon (artist, educator, and community advocate); Odilia Romero Yego (Indigenous rights advocate and founder of CIELO); Johneric Concordia (community organizer and LGBTQ+ advocate); Patrisse Cullors-Brignac (artist, activist, and Black Lives Matter co-founder); Father Greg Boyle (founder of Homeboy Industries); Betty Avila (arts leader and cultural organizer); Alfred Lomas (curator and arts administrator); Romel Pascual (environmental and civic leader); Dolores Huerta (labor leader and civil rights activist); and Stewart Kwoh (civil rights attorney and community leader).

Bringing Genealogy Into the Conversation

Because DNA played a prominent role in the exhibition, organizers invited SCGS volunteers to help answer visitors' questions.

Representing the DNA Interest Group were Christine Greene, Adrian Foushee, Kalani Mondoy, Charlotte Bocage, and SCGS President Louise Ratliff.

Throughout the evening, visitors stopped by the SCGS table to discuss a wide range of topics related to DNA testing and genealogy research.

Some wanted to know how ethnicity estimates are created and what they can reveal about family origins. Others asked about privacy concerns, the accuracy of DNA testing, and the likelihood of finding historical records in remote regions of the world.

The evening provided an opportunity for meaningful conversations about ancestry, identity, and the ways DNA testing can help people explore their family stories.

SCGS's DNA Interest Group handout for the Alta exhibition opening.

Curiosity, Questions, and Connections

According to DNA Interest Group member Christine Greene, many attendees were especially interested in the ancestry results displayed alongside the portraits.

Several visitors commented that they saw Indigenous ancestry represented in their results and wanted to learn more about how those findings are interpreted.

The SCGS volunteers helped explain how DNA testing works, what ethnicity estimates can—and cannot—tell us, and how genealogical research can complement genetic results.

The discussions highlighted a central theme shared by both the exhibition and genealogy itself: our stories are larger than any single record, photograph, or DNA test.

Why Genealogy Matters

For genealogists, ALTA offered a unique opportunity to engage the public in conversations about ancestry and identity outside traditional research settings.

Rather than focusing solely on names, dates, and family trees, the exhibition demonstrated how genealogy intersects with culture, migration, community, and personal experience.

The evening also introduced many visitors to the resources available through SCGS, including educational programs, DNA study groups, and opportunities for further family history research.

To support those conversations, the DNA Interest Group distributed informational materials explaining genetic genealogy and ways to begin exploring family history.

Connecting Past, Present, and Future

The stories featured in ALTA represent many different backgrounds, experiences, and communities, yet they share a common thread: each reflects the diverse ancestry and interconnected histories that make Los Angeles unique.

For SCGS volunteers, participating in the event was an opportunity to bring genealogy into a broader public conversation and help people better understand the role family history can play in understanding themselves and their communities.

As visitors explored Lyon's portraits and the stories behind them, the evening became more than an art exhibition. It became a conversation about identity, heritage, and the many paths that connect us to the past.

Inspired to Explore Your Own Story?

One of the themes of ALTA is that every person carries a unique story shaped by family, migration, culture, and community. Genealogy and DNA testing offer powerful tools for uncovering those stories and understanding the connections that link us to the past.

For those interested in learning more, SCGS's DNA Interest Group provides a welcoming place to explore genetic genealogy, ask questions, and discover how DNA can complement traditional family history research.

Learn More

• ReflectSpace exhibition page: https://www.reflectspace.org/post/a-human-atlas

• Marcus Lyon’s Alta project: https://www.marcuslyon.com/artworks/alta

• Human Atlas podcast: wherever you get your podcasts