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 Newsletter Fall 2022
| Whether you just returned from Black Rock City inspired to start a project at home, or you’re continuing to work hard on your ongoing initiatives– BWB is here to help you experiment, learn, connect and share. In this newsletter edition we’re excited to highlight opportunities to get involved in the form of grants, projects, and more.Our 2022 Community Microgrant Program is open and accepting applications until October 20th. It’s easy to apply and open to individuals, groups, and organizations.Community groups from across North and South America report on upcoming projects including Narcan training, bee conservation, and solidarity with local Indigenous groups.We’re also amplifying initiatives to support those recovering from recent hurricanes Fiona and Ian. All this and more, are just a scroll away.Join the conversation and let us know what you’re up to. Connect to one of our social media channels for regular updates, and consider donating to BWB. We are community-led, and community supported. We’re glad you’re here with us! Apply Now: BWB Community Microgrant Program  BWB is excited to announce the return of our annual Community Microgrant Program, and you are invited to apply! To date, BWB has provided over $250K in grants for +150 projects that have made a positive impact around the world. What’s your creative, collaborative, community-based social impact project? We want to know! GRANT DETAILS Applications Due: October 20, 2022 at 11:59pm PDT Grant Awards: $100-$1,500 –Apply Here– BWB GRANT PROGRAM VISION Through BWB’s microgrant program, we are committed to jump-starting creative, civic projects that both build community and make a positive impact. We know that real change starts at the grassroots level and healthy communities emerge from citizens participating in actively creating the kinds of communities they want to live in. BWB prides itself on accomplishing a lot with very little money by engaging the power of community and innovative problem-solving to make a difference. More information can be found on our website. Questions? bwbgrants@burningman.orgReport Out: BWB Camp in Black Rock City 2022  The BWB camp was a needed moment of connection after a long absence. Our BWB-BRC community showed up in ways that were flexible, agile, and solution-oriented. For those who visited us on playa, we hope your cup is full as you bring that energy back to your home communities.Highlights: – Three days of speaker series related to the future of sustainability, change in times of crisis, wellness, and Burning Man’s year-round initiatives. – A 150-person dinner honoring civic leaders, and bringing together representatives from BWB’s global community networks. – Partnerships with community groups (see below) as a hub for sustainability efforts on the playa.Some of our co-creators at BWB-BRC: Fly Ranch LAGI Challenge Projects Black Rock Labs BLAST (Burner Leadership Achieving Sustainable Theme Camps) RAT (Renewable Artist Team)We’ll be updating our website with video and audio content as it becomes available.image by Zac CirivelloReport Out: Resources for Fall and Winter Environmental CrisesAutumn in the northern hemisphere falls during two big disaster seasons: wildfires and hurricanes. We’re amplifying information and resources developed by members of our community.  Use Watch Duty App for information about Wildfires, the West Coast USA Watch Duty was developed by BWB member John Clark Mills. It’s operated by experienced fire reporters and volunteers who diligently monitor radio scanners and data sources 24 hours a day to make sure evacuees and communities have the most up-to-date and accurate information available.Watch Duty has dozens of internal collaboration tools from messaging to alerting systems to be notified of every fire across the state of California. If you live near or in a wildfire zone, please consider supporting this volunteer-led organization by downloading the app or supporting them via donations. Get the app HERE! Community Projects for Hurricane Response Over the past two months, Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian have landed in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Florida continuing to affect millions through infrastructure damage, and loss of power, water, and other critical resources.Immediately after a storm, the areas affected are in a state of emergency and assessment. Many are still hunkering down trying to make it through. This rarely is a good time for on-site volunteer responses that are not specialized- but there are still ways to be of service in this critical moment. Here are a few resources and projects for those impacted by or volunteering in the rebuilding efforts.  Hurricane Response Overview Burners without Borders grew out of our community response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Over the years, with plenty of trial and error, we have compiled some best practices to respond to natural disasters, including hurricanes. See any crucial tips we’ve missed? Be sure to let us know in this living document. Quick Reading Resources: “So You Want to go Help?” by BWB Volunteer Nick Heyming. Why is helping after a disaster so Hard? (From Vox) Hurricane Fiona Response Sail Relief Team (SRT)Call to ACTION: Sail Relief Team is in need of volunteers, fiscal donations, solar systems, (panels, inverters, controllers, and batteries) emergency communication equipment, and farming supplies. To learn more about how you can help check us out our webpage.  Reaching our fifth year of operation SRT is grateful for the continued support of fellow burners. The deployment of mobile solar units and community solar assets has enabled schools and first responders to function without fear of power outagesThe capacity of our mutual aid center and organic community farm has grown to provide weekly deliveries of produce. We are in the process of re-establishing community infrastructure and hope. We have challenging work ahead of us to expand these programs, but we have made it a long way from where we started with only a sailboat and an idea.  About Sail Relief: “Five years ago, hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria were among the most destructive hurricanes to ever hit back-to-back. As we exited the desert to learn of the damage caused by Harvey, Irma was already approaching Florida with a trail of destruction in the Caribbean. Sail Relief Team was started as a Burners Without Borders project in response to Hurricane Irma and we were able to provide immediate medical and logistical help to the communities in the Florida Keys. We sailed to Puerto Rico with a sailboat of aid and supplies and have served the community since. As we were still responding to issues caused by Maria, years later, the start of 2020 brought additional challenges in the form of earthquakes to the south side of Puerto Rico and the pandemic. Now in 2022, we reflect back on five years of overcoming challenges and look towards the ones we currently face in the wake of hurricanes Fiona and Ian.”- Oscar Ruiz  Mutual Aid for Puerto Rico This document is for those who want to support Puerto Rico’s recovery efforts . You’ll find information about local recovery groups inviting community solidarity, arts, and resource supply distribution.The groups featured are not often promoted though they work year-round to provide support for the most vulnerable and marginalized. The curator of this document is Karla Mi Lugo, a Puerto Rican artist and activist who is passionate about supporting the people of Puerto Rico with dignity and care. Hurricane Ian Response  Grassroots Aid Partnership (GAP) Grassroots Aid Partnership returns to Southwest Florida 5 years after its hurricane Irma founding deployment, this time to even more destructive hurricane Ian. They’ve managed to quickly set up a hot meals operation that has exceeded 900 meals a day and help manage the distribution of water and other needs to thousands Deploying almost immediately after being in Black Rock City to Fort Meyers, they are still washing off playa dust while running off-grid power and water to their mobile kitchen. Currently located in Harlem Heights they will continue to provide meals as funding allows: “Thanks to the Heights Community Center, we have an open space where people can eat, relax and share stories of survival and coming together. Thanking everyone who has contributed to making these meals possible! We hope to stay here at least two more weeks.” Donate: https://givebutter.com/RB4E3K  Footprint Project Footprint Project is responding in Florida, where thousands are still without power and deployed ~10 solar units. Donations go toward powering community sites with solar generators. Once the grid has been restored, funds will be used for long-term recovery including our Build Power resilience program in Florida. #buildbackgreener  Volunteer: World Central Kitchen Within hours of the storm passing, World Central Kitchen was on site delivering food to those in need. They are in need of various volunteer roles, including delivery drivers for meal deliveries, cooking, and more. Volunteer needs change often so check back on the shift board regularly.  Florida Volunteers Needed: Hurricane Ian Relief Group A mutual aid group spun off of an active Hurricane Maria volunteer group. This group has over 150 members on its volunteer list and is managed by local community members on-site in Florida. Volunteers needed for tarping, mucking, loading trucks, supply runs, and meals. All skills are welcome, especially tarping, carpet and drywall. Find them on Facebook HERE. Volunteers reach out directly to Robyn:+1 (409) 790-6963 or Robyn.Boudreaux@stormsearchandrescue.org BWB Regional Chapter & Working Group Updates  BWB Brazil BWB Brazil is a group Brazilian Burners living in Bahia, creating safe spaces through radical self-expression and the 10 principles where we can interact with the Pataxó indigenous group who live here without them feeling threatened by our white colonizing culture.Brazil is going through a complicated political and social moment and on Man Burn night, we had a 14-year-old Pataxó indigenous teenager murdered in our neighborhood. This has happened with indigenous people of other ethnicities in recent months across the country. Now we need to shout to the world about the need to protect LIFE. We are no longer safe.Only indigenous peoples know how to care for and live on planet Earth without destroying it or causing more global pandemics and climate disasters. We need to recognize that the future is ancestral and the way of living compatible with the new Earth is in the sampling of humanity that is resisting colonization. It is only through the surviving indigenous peoples around the world that we will be able to know HOW to build a fairer future in communion with nature. Larry Harvey used to say that a community needs a common fight, and our fight is now for LIFE.  BWB Mile High- Colorado Emergency Medicine InitiativeWe are happy to announce an initiative to provide training for CPR/AED, Opioid Overdose recognition and Narcan administration, as well as recognition of life-threatening allergic reactions and how to use an EpiPen through BWB Mile High- Colorado. Feel free to copy our initiative or let David Loudermilk know if you would like help setting something like this up for your local chapter.  BWB DetroitFinal Detroit Free Store of 2022: October 16Come hang with BWB Detroit as we provide gently used, clean clothing, socks, water, and hygiene packs to those in need. We’ll begin prepping at 9:30 a.m. at the Mariners Inn and are still in need of water donations.Human Services Offered:Free clothing from BWB DetroitFree medical checkups from Detroit Street MedicineWe are excited to announce we are teaming up once again with Street Dogs:A free pet care clinic for pets of people experiencing homelessness.Community Partners: Mariners Inn, Burners without Borders Detroit, Street Medicine Detroit, Michigan Humane, Project Grace by Dog Aide, and Bark Nation Follow: @thestreetdogcoalition Email: detroit@thestreetdogcoalition.org  BWB Bogotá (Colombia)BWB Bogotá coordinators made it to the BWB appreciation party at BRC, and finally met the organization’s movers and shakers in person. This was the opportunity to casually raise awareness of the existence of this newest chapter, which is overseeing two projects in Colombia.‘Bee Safe’ (pictured) is a native bee conservation and education project created with NGO Campo Colombia in the rural community Laguna Verde. Our first field session with 15 BWB volunteers will take place on Oct 9. OPPORTUNITY: Accepting Applications to Build the 2023 Temple  The 2023 Temple Grant Program is now open. While it’s only a few weeks since the 2022 Empyrean Temple burned, it’s time to start planning for next year…There are two virtual Q&A sessions in October with Burning Man Project staff and key stakeholders. Register here to learn how to submit a strong application.Applications due by November 17, 2022, at 5p PST. Find out more and apply here. Media: The Future of Co-housing in Canberra (Australia)  Cris Clucas received a Civic Ignition grant from Burners Without Borders to record the presentation at a recent co-housing symposium. This video will be used to help spread the word about co-housing in Canberra and around the country. “It is my hope I will be living a connected life in a flourishing co-housing development here in Canberra before 2040.” Read the interview here.  BWB is on Telegram Burners Without Borders is always seeking the best communication strategies to stay in touch with our global community. We are experimenting with this new messaging group. We will share updates, participation opportunities, and emergent responses straight to your phone. Join us here. We’re Listening To: Waking Dreams BWB-BRC Sound Check Playlist  In Black Rock City, our sound team not only makes sure that our panelists, musicians, and visionary minds can amplify their voices to a crowd, but they also provide the backdrop ambiance to much of our build and the quieter moments of the event. Transport back to the BWB camp and enjoy these sweet tunes as you endlessly pick up woodchips while squattin’ in the dust (we mean, type at your laptop…) Listen now on Spotify. Consider Making a Donation to BWB  BWB exists because of YOU. Over the years, your participation and generous support have enabled this creative community to accomplish so much around the world.BWB is known for helping real people solve real problems. The unique gifts this community brings to the international stage are quickly transforming what people think is possible.To continue doing this important work, we need your help. To donate to the continued success of BWB, click here. Any amount that you can give will go a long way in helping us to reach our goals.Thank you!  Stay Connected with BWB: – BWB Facebook – BWB Volunteers Worldwide FB – BWB Telegram – BWB Instagram – BWB Youtube – BWB Twitter – Learn how to create your own BWB Project |
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