Welcome to FrankenSTART

Alright, My Darlings,

Let me tell you how FrankenSTART came about.

It was the Time of In-Between. The first round of #STARTExp had finished and new #STARTlets were soon to arrive. A group of #STARTAlums were worried about the #STARTjargon that had sprung up in the short time the first goup of #STARTers were together. We were worried that the new #STARTlets would not understand the inside jokes and joyful banter. We were worried that they would feel excluded. We knew how overwhelming the main STARTExperiment page could be to newbies. We had to make sure no one was left behind.

As dreamers and builders, we knew it was within our power to create something special and helpful. Something that would be more than a catch-all for ephemera created in the first round of #STARTExp.

That something would have to evolve as the original Start Experiment movement did ––and it would go rogue. From that discussion, FrankenSTART was born, and I founded The Midwives of the Start Revolution.

What is a Midwife of the Start Revolution?

Let’s consult the START lexicon:

The Midwives are a team of visionary women and men who discover and share the things that support #STARTers during START rounds. They encourage Startlets and Startalums during daily START tasks, guiding newness through the screaming chaos of a brand new START.

Who are the Midwives of the Start Revolution?

The amazing Emily Carlton put in countless hours designing our logo and building the site. Amber Arbo and Libby Norcross compiled threads of advice, vocabulary, hashtags, and documents from the Facebook page. Ronne Rock and Tammy Helfrich brought together the brilliant #STARTStories to share the experiences of our #STARTAlum. Alexandra Veintidos kept us organized and recorded our meetings, while Randy Langley made sure that the details were managed. Teri Mo, Corie Clark, and Jennifer Kaufman are currently hard at work on the next stage of FrankenSTART. We keep Shane Conrad and Ryan Westbrooks around to sprinkle glitter and ensure unicorns show up. They also do a pretty great job of bringing the creativity and promoting our ideas to all of you #STARTers.

Here is what you really need to know about FrankenSTART and the Midwives.

We did this for you. We did this for #STARTExp – for all #STARTlets and #STARTalums. We did this because we believe in what this community has already accomplished and what it can become. We saw a need and created a solution. It WON’T be perfect – nothing rogue ever is. But it will be good. And it WILL constantly be evolving – permanent beta.

So, brave hearts, I challenge you with the words of the creator of #STARTExp, Jon Acuff:

“To surrender to something that is bigger than you, has always been bigger than you, will always be bigger than you.”

because every movement needs revolutionaries to to ensure its survival…

All my love,

Melissa Hawks