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Winter Newsletter 2024

January 2, 2025

As we approach a new year, Burners Without Borders (BWB) finds itself at a crossroads. The year 2025 marks our 20th anniversary—an opportunity to reflect on our past and envision our future. We recognize that the world has changed, our community has grown, and our perspective evolved, leading us to ask: How might we show up best for our communities?

Over the last two decades, we’ve tackled a wide range of projects—from disaster response to long-term community-building initiatives—learning and adapting along the way.  Now, we’re exploring a new chapter focused on regeneration—addressing root causes, revitalizing ecosystems, and designing more equitable systems.

Moving into our third decade, we remain committed to co-creating solutions that support communities’ inherent capacity to thrive. We invite you to join us in shaping a vibrant and connected world where building community through art and action lies at the heart of everything we do.

If you’re inspired by the work we do, please donate today to support our ongoing work. From now until the end of the year, you can double your impact — every gift will be matched dollar for dollar! As always, we invite you to join us for upcoming events and stay connected with the community.

But for now, here’s our 2024 Year End Wrap Up:

  • 16 BWB Chapters
  • 30 BWB Working Groups
  • A total of 46 activated groups across the globe
  • 10 grants awarded across 9 focus areas spanning 3 continents
  • 99 participants hosted at the BWB Spring Summit at Fly Ranch
  • 7 partner groups supported in responding to Hurricane Helene
  • 14 new projects connected through the BWB Project Proposal Form
  • Hosted 99 campers at BWB-Black Rock City to share their powerful work in the world with one another and strengthen their global collaborations 
  • 4 community-led programs coordinated to advance sustainability in BRC
  • 26 educational opportunities offered through BWBxEDU
  • Launched 1 new BWB website for the community to use!

We’re thrilled to estimate that between the 7 chapters we’ve spoken with so far during End of Year Check-Ins, their work has positively impacted over 2,500 people in their communities! We have 39 more to go!

  • We welcomed 1 new official BWB Chapter (BWB Colombia) and reactivated 2 working groups (BWB Heartland and BWB Philadelphia)!

If you’re a community leader (or want to be), join us in contributing to our worldwide impact story. Connect with your local BWB group and become part of our global network!

Our sustainability collaborations and initiatives in Black Rock City were highly successful this year with a marked increase in participation in BLAST, RAT, and other programs emerging from the Green Theme Camp Community (GTCC).

  • 20 camps placed within the Green Corridor, doubling the neighborhood in size and expanding the demonstration of sustainable camp infrastructure. 
  • 85 Camps participated in Burner Leadership Achieving Sustainable Theme Camps (BLAST), a camp sustainability rating program on key infrastructure areas: power, water, food, waste, shelter, and transportation. Active participation increased 35% since 2023,  comprising 6% of all placed camps.
  • 39 art projects supported by Renewables for Artists Team (RAT) with renewable energy for power instead of relying on fossil-fuel generators. 
  • 10,500+ individuals participated in the Playawide Compost Program (14% of BRC), saving approximately 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide emission.

Supported 11 Projects Across 10 Subject Areas:

The bread and butter of BWB are the projects we support and members create. Share your project with us via the BWB Project Proposal Form to see how we can support your impact.

In 2024 BWB funded 7 Civic Ignition Grant Workshops and granted 10 projects a total of $11,095.  4 regions matched funds to double the impact! 

Hosted 2 BWB Worldwide Calls: 

The BWB Spring Summit brought together conversations centering on the theme, “Participating in the Parable”. There were 11 programming offerings. Some highlights Include: 

We hosted 3 days of a Black Rock City speaker series, with 13 events focused on sustainability, creating impact, and building community. Recordings coming soon!

What People are Saying….

“The recent fires in Lahaina immediately illustrated the importance that communications above all else during times of emergency are critical. BWB has started us along this route which led to receiving our back up/repeater transmitter.  Thank you for your support!”
​​​​​​​-Michael Sofranko (Hawaii Radio Tower Repurpose Grantee)

“Such a delight to assist the BWB summit this past weekend and commune with others that believe that celebration is a key catalyst for systemic transformation.” -Jurgis

Hurricane Helene: A Long Winter Ahead in Asheville

As the holiday season unfolds, Western North Carolina is moving into a tough winter in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Recovery will likely take years, making sustained grassroots efforts more essential than ever.

The newly formed Burner Disaster Response (BDR) and longtime partners, Grassroots Aid Partnership – GAP and Footprint Project, are still on the ground providing aid—from debris cleanup to delivering clean power and serving hot meals for those in need.

These incredible members of our community embody the spirit of communal effort, civic responsibility, and gifting. We’re proud to stand alongside such inspiring individuals—and your help is needed to keep this vital work going strong.

Head over to our website to check out the latest updates and find out what these organizations need to sustain their impactful work during this season of giving.

Want to connect? If you’re part of a project aligned with local leadership for Hurricane Helene, please reach out to us at bwb@burningman.org to let us know. Together, we can create meaningful change in the wake of this disaster.

Prototyping Biochar & the Start of Regenerative Agriculture

This year, BWB took a major step toward creating sustainable, closed-loop systems connecting Black Rock City, Fly Ranch, and the Northern Nevada community. At the BWB Spring Summit, artists Ray Cirino and Michael Whitman built an effigy designed to produce biochar—a material that enhances soil health, stores carbon, and improves compost systems.

The biochar was integrated into compost from Black Rock City and applied to an experimental agriculture plot at Fly Ranch, where onions and garlic were grown, harvested, and shared back at Black Rock City. This small cycle demonstrates the transformative potential of regenerative systems.

Read the full story here.

BWB Worldwide Call—A Community Roundup

On November 19th, we hosted a BWB Worldwide Call as part of our BWBxEDU series. This community roundup offered a platform for sharing projects, sparking collaboration, and connecting skills with impactful initiatives. Learn more about the projects that presented here.

BWB Worldwide Call | February 19th 2025 

Worldwide Call: Regenerative Disaster Response Transforming Communities

Tuesday, February 18th at 5pm PST / 7pm CST/ 8pm EST/ Wednesday 2am CET

Join to connect, learn, and collaborate on ways to make a greater impact in 2025. Join Alina Talyad of Nawaya and the Grassroots Aid Partnership, BWB Program Manager and eco-social designer Ryan Rising, and an exciting group of invited speakers working on regenerative and transformative disaster response techniques. Learn how communities across the country are turning crisis into opportunity, launching cooperative infrastructure initiatives, and organizing to re-design the places they live and the ways they meet their basic human needs in the wake of disaster. 

Alina Talya is a member of the Southeast Burners Disaster Relief network that has sprung up since Hurricane Helene and works on cooperatively owned housing and farming. Ryan Rising has studied with Cooperation Jackson and Movement Generation to understand how communities are transitioning to community-owned, regenerative infrastructure. This call invites other aligned speakers to share their experience while facilitating a conversation with those who attend on what might be done when disaster has struck. More info TBA. 

Whether you’re a long-time BWB member or new to the network, this call is a chance to share ideas, learn from one another, and build relationships with change makers. Save the date. Attend and share the facebook event page. 

>> RSVP HERE <<

BWB Corpus Christi

BWB Corpus Christi celebrated a milestone marking 10 years of community-driven efforts in the region. The group continues its tradition of holding four clean-ups annually, with a commitment to maintaining local spaces and encouraging others to get involved. Their next clean-up event is in February.

BWB Chicago

BWB Chicago invites you to the 10th Annual Winter Ball: Dark Matter / Inner Brilliance on Saturday, February 8 at Salvage One. This milestone event celebrates a decade of creativity, community, and impact. Dress to impress in attire that is dark, daring, and radiant, and support BWB Chicago’s impactful year-round projects. Tickets here.

BWB Detroit

This winter, BWB Detroit is serving breakfast every other Sunday in Cass Park, expanding on their Free Store’s support since 2014. In addition to providing clothes, hygiene packs, and haircuts, they’re now offering hot breakfasts and winter clothes. They continue to prepare meals and collect supplies to help the community through the cold season. Stay updated on Facebook for upcoming events.

BWB Heartland Working Group

The Midwest Burners Heartland Working Group is off to a strong start. The chapter is gearing up for its first Community Round Table Discussion at the upcoming Midwest Burn. The BWB discussion will take place at the Interfuse Ignition Kick-Off event in Kansas City on January 18th 2025. This meeting will serve as an opportunity to brainstorm next steps and discuss future projects with the local community. Click here for more details about Ignition and this BWB event.

BWB Los Angeles 

BWB Los Angeles recently joined Replant the Forest Festival for a day of community-driven land restoration, planting hundreds of native trees in wildfire-affected areas. Replant the Forest is focused on engaging people in eco-restoration through events and gatherings. Aiming to activate, make a change, and have fun!

Project Update: Pyramid Lake Spiritual Healing Center

BWB is proud to support this meaningful project, with more updates coming in the new year. Check out this YouTube video and stay tuned for more!

We’re excited to share progress from the Pyramid Lake Spiritual Healing Center. The team is now working on creating an accessible path to improve mobility for all, including Dean as he adapts to his prosthetic leg.

BWB Volunteer Opportunity: Website Tech Support 

BWB is seeking volunteers to help maintain and enhance our website. Whether you’re experienced in front-end and back-end coding or interested in managing site content and functionality, your contributions will help us share our global impact more effectively.

We welcome anyone with WordPress experience (coding is a plus, but not required), attention to detail, and a willingness to collaborate regularly in a flexible, open-source environment. Ready to get involved? Interested? Contact us at bwb@burningman.org to join the team!

Burners Build Disaster Recovery Network in Southern Appalachia

Two Burners, Micah Spain and Alex Mengel, whose home burn is Transformus, have joined forces with Jessi Maness of R4Reach.org to support disaster recovery in Southern Appalachia. Together, they’ve formed a collaborative network that coordinates volunteers, mutual aid groups, and grassroots organizations to deliver essential aid and address long-term recovery challenges. 

Volunteers can be onboarded remotely or deployed on the ground to support a network of grassroots mutual aid organizations making a real difference.

Want to get involved? Head over to Appalachia Relief 

Tom Price co-founded Burners Without Borders, Black Rock Solar, and a company that gifts clean-burning kitchens to people in Kenya. Tom talks about the weather and how BWB started with Hurricane Katrina and continues to grow despite extreme circumstances (because Burners are extreme!). Tom’s tales of adventure include paperwork pranks and ad hoc Cajun catharsis.

LISTEN: ‘From the Playa to the Planet’

To learn more about Burning Man’s financial realities and future direction, read the full update here.

Two Fronts: An Inflection Point

As Burning Man faces financial challenges, particularly the gap between ticket revenues and global cultural efforts, philanthropic support becomes crucial for sustainability. Burners Without Borders is key in extending Burning Man’s culture worldwide through community-building and regenerative projects.

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. Consider donating to the continued success of BWB. Any amount that you can give will go a long way in helping us to reach our goals. Thank you for all the support you’ve given thus far!  

Stay Connected:  Explore The BWB Ecosystem of Current News, Social Media Channels, and How To Get Involved.

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