You can keep up with the latest project developments from the people on the ground making them happen via the BWB Blog. We want to hear from you and welcome your comments.
BWB Fall Newsletter 2020
| any trouble viewing this page? See the original newsletter here– the formatting is nicer 🙂 Autumn tends to be busy for BWB as the regular wildfire and hurricane seasons ramp up on the American continents. Why would 2020 be any different? Natural disasters, protest movements, a global pandemic, election cycles and more converged this season. Earlier in 2020 we discussed how to respond to ‘dual disasters’. Now we joke about how cute it was when we thought it would only be two things at once. Although this year continues to feel endless, we’re constantly inspired and energized by how Burners are showing up. Your work is a reminder that this is what we’ve been preparing for all along: to have robust and resilient communities equipped with the skills of both self-reliance and communal effort.Amidst all the important issues going on, we want to let you know we have just a few weeks left in our fundraising campaign to Save Black Rock City, which is important as BWB is a program of the Burning Man Project 501c3. In 2020, Burning Man Project lost more than 90% of its annual budget as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are faced with the daunting reality of running a global nonprofit without the financial means to continue our operations. We have cut costs dramatically, but we risk of running out of funds in December, which could mean and we won’t be able to bring Black Rock City back, or to continue our year-round work. We need the support of our community. Check out what your donations will fund and all the information here. Be safe out there, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.Stay connected and let us know what you’re up to in the world. Join the BWB Volunteers Worldwide Group for regular updates, check out our Global Slack Workspace and consider donating to BWB. We are community-led, and community supported.Thank you for being you. |
| Upcoming: Want to support BWB with Education, Media, Production or more? |
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| Want to volunteer with Burners Without Borders throughout the year? Virtual events, learning opportunities and workshops are more important than ever- and even after the pandemic fades into history that likely won’t change. We have a global community, and virtual experiences are important ways for us to connect. The BWB team is looking for some volunteers in these areas: - Virtual Event Production – Education Events and Curriculum Creation – Media Production and Post-Production – Virtual World Creation (BRCvr) If you’re interested in helping BWB navigate, and make the most, the virtual world then we want to hear from you. There are no specific roles right now, but there’s a lot of opportunity to help us craft the future together.Send us an email at bwb@burningman.org if you have bandwidth to join this conversation. |
| Upcoming: Community Roundup: Burners Responding |
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| Have you joined a Community Round-Up Call? This experiment in decentralized organizing has been one of the most rewarding experiences of this past year. What began as a way to exchange information, ask for assistance, and present initiatives has become a community space in its own right. We’ve had a diverse group of participants coming to each call. The calls have included long-time community members, Burning Man Founders, and even folks having their first interaction with anything Burning Man-related. We love it all! Thank you for making this such a community touchpoint during this uncertain year. Projects and discussions centered around COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, hurricanes and wildfires. We are looking forward to continuing with these themes, while staying open to other projects and ideas. Join the ongoing Facebook Event, register here (non-FB), and follow BWB to get notifications about this call series. |
Report Out: BWB Spring Summit Videos The BWB 2020 Spring Summit was incredible. For those of you who couldn’t participate live, or would like to re-listen, we are excited to announce we launched our video recordings from the Plenary and Fly Ranch LAGI sessions. They are available for viewing on our YouTube channel. Thank you to everyone who participated in the first virtual summit. We had inspiring speakers, musicians, poets, artists, active participants, donors, and amazing volunteers. The connectedness made this event truly transcend the sum of its parts. |
| Report Out: BWB in the Multiverse |
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| We are in the Multiverse- which means that Burning Man has become everywhere and all the time. The Burning Man Community assembled seven different ‘verses’ with tons of activity happening during the traditional BRC week. How did you engage? BWB Camp went digital in several ways and in a few universes, and you can catch-up on what went down. The BWB Speaker Series went to Infinite Playa, and the videos are on FB live (soon to be on YouTube). You can see Christopher Breedlove’s hologram (!!!) talk “The Future of Burning Man?” from BRCvr. This is still time to visit BURN2 in Second Life, which has had an active BWB chapter for years (October 11-15th). There is a lot of opportunities to explore the virtual universes- and BWB is excited about the future. If you have ideas on what could happen going forward and want to get involved- please reach out. We love to co-create with you. |
| Report Out: Civic Activation: Running for Political Office |
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| BWB hosted a Global Activation Community Call a few weeks ago where we asked: What if the government was a lot more like Burning Man? The panel discussion with community members who are currently running, or formerly ran, for public office. We wanted to know how might the 10 Principles inform participation in the democratic process, and if Black Rock City inspires people to become politicians. You can watch the video recording here.What are Global Activation Community Calls? Burning Man Project hosted a of bi-weekly series of community conversations on rotating topics: Art, Civics, Community, Ecosystems, Events, and Grant Projects. The calls are a mix of formal presentations, Q&As, and discussion. Find all six call recordings on our playlist.*All opinions expressed in this call by the participants belong to the participants. BWB and BMP do not endorse any candidate, party, or platform. |
Report Out: Green Theme Camp Summit Last week BWB helped co-produce the first ‘Green Theme Camp Summit’ alongside Hotel California and IDEATE. It was a 4-day event with over 15 hours of content exploring the future of theme camp infrastructure in terms of Power, Water, Food, Waste and Shelter. This community is working on some long-term projects, including producing a ‘Thrival-Guide’ for theme camps that want to go green. Want to join in and contribute? Shoot an email to greenthemecamps@burningman.org – you can watch the livestream on ‘Infrastructure in the World’. |
BWB Regional Updates: BWB Portland: Burners Without Borders Portland responded to the massive fires across the state of Oregon by supporting mutual aid initiatives and local organizations. After the fires broke out in August they launched a mutual aid participation form in partnership with many other local groups, including Don’t Shoot Portland and World Central Kitchen.BWB Portland uses their monthly meetings (now remote) to create a space for projects and initiatives in the Portland area to come together and find support. |
 BWB Sacramento Region: Congratulations to the BWB Sacramento working group for officially formalizing as the BWB Sacramento Region chapter! Keep an eye on their social space for ongoing projects and opportunities to get involved. |
 BWB Seattle: BWB Seattle is excited to announce an all new board! They’re working to serve the PNW Burning Man community. See all the bios here. They’ve got some pretty big shoes to fill and still have four additional board openings. Contact them using our website or Facebook for more information on those roles!BWB Seattle recently wrapped up a mask drive to benefit unhoused folks. They worked with Aurora Commons to donate 200+ masks, hand sanitizer, and socks.Mutual Aid for Washington State Fire Relief:If you have temporary housing, space for vehicles, supplies, professional services, or time/transportation to offer, enter your information here.If you have a need for any of these, please describe what you require here, and a volunteer will reach out to you when there’s a match.Please feel free to share these resources far and wide! |
 BWB Texas Alliance: The BWB-Texas Alliance is in the middle of their second work trip to support Hurricane Laura recovery in Vinton, Louisiana. The BWB-Texas Alliance is lead by the Houston, Corpus Christi, Galveston County, San Antonio, and Austin Chapters. The group sourced more than 5 tons of shingles, and continue to fundraise for other critical materials. They will be working on site for two weeks through mid October, 2020. Read a full update from the team here. |
 BWB Arizona: BWB Arizona hosted a Zoom-a-thon fundraiser last month with interviews, musical performances, prizes, game shows and more. All together, they raised over $11,000, which will be going to local community microgrants. Bravo BWB-AZ!!!The BWB AZ community has been busy for the past quarter, with blood drives, PPE initiatives, disaster responses and food sovereignty/ecosystem projects. Local to Arizona? Join the community on Facebook for updates and to get involved. |
| Opportunities // Get Involved |
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| LAGI Design Challenge Deadline October 31! This is our FINAL reminder that the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) and Burning Man Project partnered to launch a multi-disciplinary design challenge—LAGI 2020 Fly Ranch—to create the foundational infrastructure of Fly Ranch.You are invited to submit your idea for a regenerative sitework in this stunning landscape. We are seeking proposals that fit into at least one of 5 categories: Power, Water, Shelter, Food, and Regeneration. In 2021, selected design teams will be provided an honoraria grant for the purpose of building a functional prototype on site. The deadline to apply is October 31st. Click here for info about the design challenge and to read through the design criteria. |
 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: PPE to Nevada Tribes The Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada invites volunteer drivers to help deliver critical supplies throughout remote areas of Nevada on an as-needed basis through the next 6-8 months. Drivers will pick supplies from one of two warehouse sites: Sparks and Las Vegas. The furthest driving radius for a delivery route will be from Reno to Los Vegas. Volunteer Driver Requirements:4×4 vehicle with a trailer hitch (or box truck)Experience and comfort managing transportation equipment (hitching, unloading), rough terrain, distance driving vehicles welcome!Willingness to work with partners to maintain COVID safe delivery practices interested in driving for the tribes this winter? CONTACT: Cliff Banuelos cbanuelos@itcn.org 775-315-4346Not a Driver but want to help? We’re also currently soliciting supplies: rice, beans, medical supplies + PPE The Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada is also purchasing and storing supplies for flu season. If you’re interested in donating, contact: cbanuelos@itcn.org 775-315-4346 |
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| VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: California Fire Response The Ecosystem Restoration Camps community has initiated 37 collaborative camps in 6 continents. Massive wildfires have ravaged various parts of the world this year. Fires aren’t waiting for the pandemic to end, and our response can’t wait either.One of the serious, immediate issues is the potential for toxic debris to leach into the watershed that nurtures California’s Central Valley agricultural lands. There are specific actions that can help to reduce this urgent threat now.In order to effectively and efficiently assist this complex and serious situation we need to organize. The first call is for Social Media Activists to help organize the various other teams.If you are socially media literate, have some time, and want volunteer to do something important for people who are suffering, for the Forests of California, the food supply coming from the Central Valley, the State of California, the United States and the World, then please contact Peapod Hironimus at phironimus@gmail.com or text her at +1-917-449-4292 |
 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: BRC-AID BRC-AID is a collaborative mutual aid project setup to serve the staff and volunteers of Black Rock City, from Peer Support to Material Aid. Are you a burner with services to offer the community? We’re looking to expand our resources and referrals, specifically looking for folks who work in legal, financial/accounting, medical, dental, vision, and mental health fields available to offer your services to our community, please reach out to us at the.hydras.3@gmail.com |
 GET INVOLVED: Global Coralition Global Coralition is a nonprofit organization merging art, science and communities to accelerate coral reef restoration. They are currently in the Dominican Republic building an underwater sculpture of Atabey, the Mother Earth Spirit of the Taino people. When it’s complete, it will be the tallest underwater sculpture in the world. They have designed an exciting marine restoration plan around the sculptural site that bridges art and science. Global Coralition is calling upon our burner community for support in our next stage of deploying Atabey into the water. It will be both a beautiful Taino ceremony, as well as an engineering feat! Here is a glimpse of what’s happened so far. To support this project, donate here. |
 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Un Pedacito De Tierra: Call for Shade Structure Builders (Nogales, MX) Burners know that when it’s hot out, we need shade structures. We are supporting space transformation in a shelter along the US/Mexico border, and we need your help! Un Pedacito de Tierra is a place to call home for migrants currently living in Nogales, MX. We are looking for a shade expert to help transform an outdoor desert space which serves 200 people by adding much needed versatile shade elements. Can you help design a functional, beautiful shade system to help create a feeling of home? Email bwb@burningman.org now to learn more- build scheduled for early November in Nogales, MX. |
 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Placemaking/Design for Santuario Shelters along US/Mexico Border with Alight Seeking space designers to join our team and help bring spaces to life. We are looking for someone skilled in placemaking and interior design, who is mad resourceful, can work fast, and has a deep empathy for others. If this sounds like you, we’d love to chat. Please send all inquiries to: Jessica Phinney (jessicap@wearealight.org) At Alight, we believe there is simple human justice in the chance to build a life. Yes, this life means meeting basic needs, and we do that work every day: caring for 1.5 million patients in our health centers each year; supplying 20 million liters of clean water each day; and providing protection and support to vulnerable women and children. But that is not a life. A life is filled with joy, dignity, connection and purpose. And that is what we aim to build. www.wearealight.org |
 GET INVOLVED: Mutant Vehicles in L.A for Protest Safety Burner Ayesha Dobyns and co-organizers in Los Angeles, CA are seeking Mutant Vehicles to collaborate in an anti-police brutality protest. The protest will include circus artists who are also people of color, activist groups and families who have lost loved ones to police brutality. The organizers hopes to “bring back some of the enthusiasm for human rights that we had in the beginning of the Floyd protests, but also to uplift POC artists and [the] Los Angeles spirit.”For more information, please contact Ayesha. Ayesha Dobyns or Lindsay ayeshadobyns@gmail.com ig @weewigs |
 GET INVOLVED: Burners For Democracy BOB is a decentralized theme camp initiative helping Burning Man camps organize to work on phone banks, letter-writing campaigns, and other get-out-the-vote efforts. Check out the initiative in full here, and maybe share this with your camp to see if y’all want to get involved! |
 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Cajun Navy Relief The mission of Cajun Navy Relief (longtime friends of BWB) is to save lives. They are a group of volunteers who work tirelessly (using their own personal equipment) to provide immediate relief in disasters. Rescue and relief is their way of sharing South Louisiana cultural traditions (of neighbors helping neighbors) with people in need across the United States. By integrating civilian volunteers into the Incident Command Structure, they are able to act as a force multiplier for agencies responding to disaster. And they need help! Volunteers, especially remote dispatch/vetting; information technology; and support. Many roles can be done from home, anywhere in the world. It is critical to fill these roles when NOT in deployment so that volunteers can learn the ropes. Sign up to volunteer now, so that when the next disaster strikes you are ready to go. |
BWB Press & Media The Burning Man LIVE Burning Man LIVE podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts!Meet the people who make Burning Man happen, beyond the desert and out in the world. Artists, activists, and innovators. Builders and Burners, freaks and fools. |
 Grant Activation: Storytelling With Youth In this community call we heard from artists and grantees Molly Allis of The Storytelling Machine, and Owen Lowery of The Digital Sideshow. They explored how interactive art and storytelling are effective tools for activating youth & public engagement. We’ve released the ‘Storytelling With Youth’ video. Check it out and feel free to share with those who might be interested. |
 Event Activation: The Future of Co-Created Events? In this Community Call we heard from community members in Seattle, Argentina, and the Multiverse about how they’re thinking about the future of events and co-creation in their own communities. We’ve released the ‘The Future of Co-Created Events?’ video. Check it out and feel free to share with those who might be interested. |
 The Intersection Podcast The Intersection Podcast explores change in the Bay Area. One intersection at a time. We want to highlight the two most recent episodes, BLACK LIVES MATTER meets BLACK ROCK CITY and PRESENT meets PAST at BURNING MAN. BLACK LIVES MATTER meets BLACK ROCK CITY One of the principles guiding Burning Man is “Radical Inclusion.” Basically, all are welcome. But, the temporary city that Burners build in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert has never been racially diverse. In this episode of THE INTERSECTION at Burning Man, we explore why there’s been a disconnect between racial and radical inclusion, and what some Burners, like Oakland Activist and Artist Favianna Rodriguez, are doing to change that.PRESENT meets PAST at Burning Man Burning Man is known for a lot of things: The art. The parties. The wooden man that’s set on ablaze every year. But most Burners don’t know much about the history of the land or its original inhabitants: the Pyramid Lake Paiutes In this episode of THE INTERSECTION, reporter Lucy Kang explores the Piautes and their relationship to Burning Man. |
What We’re Listening To Community Roundup Playlist For the last number of months, we have been hosting Community Roundup Community to learn/share about initiatives burners are leading. We’ve rocked some truly great tunes during these calls and collected them all in this playlist for your listening pleasure! |
| Consider Making a Donation to BWB |
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| BWB is funded through BRC ticket sales and donations. In a year without ticket sales, we are more reliant than ever on the generosity of those who have the means to share.BWB exists because of YOU. Your generous support and participation over the years enabled this creative community to accomplish so much around the world. BWB is known for helping real people solve real problems by daring to experiment, to iterate, and to do so in challenging environments. The unique gifts this community brings to the international stage is quickly transforming what people think is possible. Thank you for all the contributions you bring, money is just one way to support BWB.To continue doing the work, we do need your help. To donate to the continued success of BWB, click here. Any amount that you can give will help us each our goals, and lets us know our work has impact. Thank you! – The BWB Team |
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