Frank Warren to Introduce PostSecret at UCLA

Secrets are no fun; they should be shared with everyone. The old playground chant finally rings true in the adult world. At least for Frank Warren, the creator of the anonymous web-blog sensation, “The PostSecret Project.” Warren will be presenting “PostSecret Live,” a multimedia version of the project, January 28 at Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA.

Confessional Internet safe-havens have been a staple on the world wide web since the dawn of, well, the Internet. Livejournal came and went, followed by the ever-popular Xanga, and even anonymous “ask” boxes on MySpace had their moment. However, PostSecret.com-a blogger-style blog experiment, never expired. In 2005, Frank Warren began collecting handmade postcards from people around the globe. The simplistic project depends on strangers anonymously sharing everything from their deepest and darkest secrets to their biggest fears or wishes-on a postcard-which they then decorate and sent to Warren. Every Sunday, 10 of the secrets are posted on the website.

The blog is popular worldwide and continually growing. In 2011, a PostSecret App was introduced to the smartphone world; however, some users posted malicious and abusive content. Developers were unable to control this inherent flaw of the app and it was quickly dismantled. Warren has stayed loyal to the project in other ways over the years. Since 2009, he has been touring college campuses and other venues on and off with his multimedia presentation of The PostSecret Project. He has also published six beautiful coffee-table style compilation books of secrets.

To date, Warren has received more than 500,000 postcards from people around the world. The project is meant to provide a safe place to take the first step in opening up and sharing for those who otherwise may never do so. Warren believes in the validity and the importance of the project in this way. In 2008, Warren teamed up with 1-800-Suicide, a suicide prevention organization to support peer run crisis hotlines on college campuses. The live presentation will delve into the secrets behind the secrets; revealing some of the postcards banned from the published books, funny anecdotes and inspiring stories.

Frank Warren will be presenting “PostSecret Live” at Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA, Jan. 28. Tickets can be purchased here.