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Colorado Couple Learn They Are Cousins Through 23andMe and Launch 'Before We Be'

The episode highlights how consumer DNA tests can expose hidden family links.

Overview

  • Celina and Joseph Quinones used a 23andMe at-home ancestry kit to explore her heritage and the results showed they are cousins.
  • Celina said the discovery made her feel sick and led her to briefly consider divorce before the pair chose to remain together.
  • The couple posted the result on TikTok, where the video drew millions of views and a barrage of hostile comments about their relationship and children.
  • The family later learned Joe’s paternal grandmother was adopted, which they say explains why no one recognized shared relatives at their wedding.
  • They created a dating platform called Before We Be to help people check for close kinship before starting relationships.