Stories of Hope and Resilience
STORIES OF HOPE & RESILIENCE
“In a world riven with fear and with our own personal struggles while isolated, some of the 10 Principles and their learnings from various burns have been a leitmotif. Gifting and Communal Effort have kept me close to friends and family. Radical Self-reliance and Immediacy have kept me sane and strong. The interactive learning experience that is Black Rock City keeps making me grow as a person. Thank you, Burning Man.”
– Hartaj SinghBurning Man Project Donor
It’s our collective stories and struggles that define our culture and ultimately our experience.
Imagine for a minute, how many humans have, in one way or another, come into contact with Burning Man culture. From there, begin to picture all the nodes, networks, and entire communities that have felt that creative spark of Burning Man culture, the shared impetus to build community, and bring new projects into the world as a result.
Here are a few, out of countless stories about how Black Rock City and Burning Man culture continues to change lives, inspire new ways of being, and have an enduring impact on the world.
“The world is full of opportunities for human beings to be empathetic and compassionate, but humanity is bound by reasons that prevent us from navigating to and through them. The (BRC) playa removes the on/off ramps, lanes, trails, roads, flight paths, bridges and tunnels, leaving only boundless space for those humans (that choose) to better understand themselves, internally and externally. Opportunity Camp.”
– Moonshine Burning Man Project Donor
“The value of the cultural impact of the 10 Principles, your support of artists, creatives of all kinds, and in pioneering the ethos of creating large-scale, immersive, and transformational art is nearly unquantifiable. We thank you for your perseverance in this human evolution, as well as your dedication to weathering the storm of this unprecedented year while we all face the pandemic.”
– Timothy Johnson, Jonathan Yudis, and Jennifer Russell Co-leads of Camp Mystic and Burning Man Project Donors
“Burning Man is unique, as it creates a sense of community not achievable elsewhere. Burning Man encourages unfettered creativity where one can disconnect from a society that has become increasingly dependent on technology and immediate gratification. The currency is kindness, and the friendships are genuine. There is neither judgment nor hierarchy on the playa. Dust sticks to all skin no matter who you are.”
– Sidney Bresler, Burning Man Project Donor
“You don’t get the burn you want. You have the burn you need. In 2020 we did not gather but nevertheless we burned. We burned in place during a year when everything was on fire. We mourned the lives that were lost and appreciated what remained as we began to reckon with the distance between our principles and our reality.”
– Marlon Williams Vice President of Collaboration & Public Policy at Philanthropy New York, and Black Rock City participant
