Meet Jen and Matt Hinds

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen and Matt Hinds.

Hi Jen and Matt, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Blue Ribbon Army started as a Facebook group that was created for the purpose of having an online space for convention friends to keep in contact with each other between conventions. Being introverts, we were really bad at keeping up with each other otherwise.

In 2013 a member suggested that we all wear blue ribbons on our lanyards to identify one another at Phoenix Comicon (now Phoenix Fan Fusion). This practice gave us our cheeky name. The ribbons didn’t quite work as intended, so we started wearing specific “BRA” lanyards in 2014.

For about 4 years after our inception, we were both a local geek social club AND an unofficial fan club for Phoenix Comicon. Eventually, we focused on our own brand but our love for our “main” convention remains. Over the past 12 years, our senior leadership has volunteered/worked for the convention or, in some cases, still does.

Since the beginning, our focus has always been to be a place for geeks looking to make friends. We have several events throughout the year that not only bring folks together but also benefit local charities.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh, we can’t say that being a social club has been completely smooth when a pandemic was thrown in there. Haha.

Maintaining the club was hard for a couple of years thanks to COVID. In fact, we’re really still adjusting to things, “post”-covid. We’re getting our groove back, but we want to keep the past couple of years’ worth of global and local issues in the forefront of our minds when we plan things.

Aside from that, we always try to keep our out-of-state members in mind when planning activities, contests, and games.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our bread and butter are getting people out of their shells and making friends. We accomplish this by hosting several events throughout the year as well as having exhibitor tables/street team activities at local conventions, charity events, and other local gatherings.

We pride ourselves on the connections made with our members and the volunteer work/fundraising activities that we run along with our events. We’ve done everything from blood/canned food/feminine product drives to roof-shaking parties for kid’s charities. Catch us at a formal event, Pride parade, animal charity walk, or bar. We’re down to help and love in all the ways we can.

What matters most to you?
We want people to know that they aren’t alone in the world. That there will always be a group of like-minded geeks there to share their passions, their quirkiness, and their space if/when they want it. We want to make the world a better place through fun and inclusiveness.

Contact Info:

• Website: Blueribbonarmy.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/blueribbonarmy
• Facebook: Facebook.com/groups/blueribbonarmy