PostSecret founder Frank Warren gets personal at SU

Frank Warren of the PostSecret blog and book series is said to have seen more secrets than any other living person, and hundreds of students and community members lined up outside Campion Hall and on the rainy sidewalk of James Street Thursday to listen to Warren share some of those secrets.

Campion Ballroom filled to its maximum capacity of 650 with students, faculty and outside community members. Tim Wilson, director of Student Activities, which sponsored the event, estimates roughly 30 or 40 people were not admitted.

Students were admitted before other members of the public since Seattle University funded the event, Wilson said. The event cost $15,000 and entrance was free to all.

During the presentation, Warren shared stories behind the project, postcards that could not be published and some of the stories of people impacted by PostSecret—including himself.

"At a level beneath my own awareness at the time, I was struggling with parts of my past, and through PostSecret I was able to find reconciliation," Warren said. "Maybe by sharing that story I can inspire others to share their stories that can help others as well."

In fact, audience members had the opportunity to go up to a microphone and share their own secrets.

"It felt like a relief. I didn't even know they did that," said Danielle Watkins, a community member who shared at the microphone. "One of the things I've been working on is being more open. I said, ‘Why not? Face a fear.'"

For Warren, this is the most important aspect of his appearances.

"For me, the most extraordinary part is when people, in front of [hundreds] of their classmates, will stand up and reveal their deepest secrets, like we heard tonight," he said.

Warren also stayed for a book signing and sold copies of his most recent book, "PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God." Profits of those sales went to the Seattle U Bookstore.

Wes Gonzalez, sophomore political science major, was writing his secret on a postcard while he was waiting in line for the book signing. He planned to give the postcard to Warren.

"[PostSecret] pushes people outside of their comfort zone. It's something that's extremely liberating," Gonzalez said. "I kind of wish I had gone up to the microphone."

That rare opportunity may be what has drawn so many people to PostSecret and Thursday's event.

"When we got the sense that the Facebook event was going viral, we realized we'd have to use the biggest venue we had," Wilson said.

The event was originally scheduled for Pigott Auditorium, which holds no more than 400 and hosted Warren on his 2007 tour. The decision to move was made in December, yet ballroom renovation was still in its final stages the morning of the event.

Wilson also noted the challenges of keeping a respectful atmosphere around Campion for those who weren't attending, such as those celebrating Mass in the Ecumenical Chapel.

"We did our best to keep things quiet and respectful for Mass and to clear a pathway, or for the people who lived in Campion and were just trying to get home," Wilson said.

Student Activities enlisted extra support from Conference and Event Services, Public Safety and SEAC to handle the extra traffic and complexity, as well as University Communications to deal with the unexpected volume and nature of questions and discussion on the Facebook event pages.

Members of the public were concerned by the policy of allowing students entrance to the event first, and there was also some confusion as to whether the event would even be open to the public.

One woman from Poulsbo, Wash. arrived more than four hours prior to the event. Other community members asked random students to escort them as their guests, borrowed the IDs of friends who study or work at Seattle U or used expired IDs as alumni.

Even Warren said he has "been shocked by how it's resonated with people around the world."

That's exactly what Wilson said Student Activities hoped to tap into.

"We like to do a broad range of programming in Student Activities," he said. "But to do something that hits the raw nerve like Frank Warren does is extremely gratifying."

 

Mary Pauline may be reached at entertainment@su-spectator.com