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BAAAHS — the Big-Ass Amazingly Awesome Homosexual Sheep — is a world-famous Burning Man art car/mutant vehicle, known for his/her/their provocative entrance (a slide, accessed by a ladder, that transports people through their butt into their hot pink interior); their revolving lineup of notable DJs that spin day and night as they roam across the playa; and their powerful sound system. He/she/they is part sheep, part mobile disco, part queer oasis. BAAAHS has been a beacon of community for thousands of Burning Man attendees over the past decade.
But when BAAAHS is not drawing attention at Burning Man, they often sit idle in San Francisco as an unassuming white school bus known by their friends as "Pearl".
The horrific murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and so many others have laid bare the structural inequality and racism in this country and exposed white supremacy in all parts of our society. Black Lives Matter has ignited a *movement* within this country and around the world that has activated millions of people to demand justice, equality, and a dismantling of structural racism. And it has offered BAAAHS an opportunity to do something.
1) BAAAHS is a community resource that can be used to further the Black Lives Matter movement and amplify Black/Indigenous/POC — and especially Black queer and trans voices. Our BAAAHS is your BAAAHS is our community’s BAAAHS. This means that BAAAHS will be attending protests, rallies, and demonstrations around the Bay Area lending support to organizers: a loud sound system for DJs and speakers; transportation; and a safe, fully-stocked refuge for activists. BAAAHS is an oasis for any and all who want to see a better, more just and equitable world for all people. If you are an activist organizer, please get in touch.
2) We are partnering with Paint the Void to employ local Black/POC queer and trans artists to paint BAAAHS. BAAAHS is literally a blank canvas and we want them to SPARKLE with creativity, inspiration, and hope. Our goal is to raise the funds ASAP and begin work IMMEDIATELY. Depending on timing and resources available, we are also exploring having a live, interactive event in which the community can watch the artists will paint BAAAHS in person or via livestream.
In order for us to fully fund these local artists, we need help from our BAAAHS community and the broader Burning Man community***. 100% of these funds will go directly to these local artists. Further, it may be possible for us to get corporate matching to DOUBLE the funds raised here.
***Importantly: we must recognize that Burning Man is overwhelmingly white and cisgender. BAAAHS membership reflects that disparity. As a community, we have failed our Black, POC, and trans brothers and sisters. We need to fix that and do much better. We “burners” talk about “radical inclusion” as a guiding principle, yet the yearly census proves that we don’t put in the necessary effort to make radical inclusion a reality. BAAAHS is committed to fixing that. Stay tuned for an action plan. If you have ideas or would like to discuss further, please get in touch. We’d like to engage the entire Burning Man community in this effort.
But when BAAAHS is not drawing attention at Burning Man, they often sit idle in San Francisco as an unassuming white school bus known by their friends as "Pearl".
The horrific murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and so many others have laid bare the structural inequality and racism in this country and exposed white supremacy in all parts of our society. Black Lives Matter has ignited a *movement* within this country and around the world that has activated millions of people to demand justice, equality, and a dismantling of structural racism. And it has offered BAAAHS an opportunity to do something.
1) BAAAHS is a community resource that can be used to further the Black Lives Matter movement and amplify Black/Indigenous/POC — and especially Black queer and trans voices. Our BAAAHS is your BAAAHS is our community’s BAAAHS. This means that BAAAHS will be attending protests, rallies, and demonstrations around the Bay Area lending support to organizers: a loud sound system for DJs and speakers; transportation; and a safe, fully-stocked refuge for activists. BAAAHS is an oasis for any and all who want to see a better, more just and equitable world for all people. If you are an activist organizer, please get in touch.
2) We are partnering with Paint the Void to employ local Black/POC queer and trans artists to paint BAAAHS. BAAAHS is literally a blank canvas and we want them to SPARKLE with creativity, inspiration, and hope. Our goal is to raise the funds ASAP and begin work IMMEDIATELY. Depending on timing and resources available, we are also exploring having a live, interactive event in which the community can watch the artists will paint BAAAHS in person or via livestream.
In order for us to fully fund these local artists, we need help from our BAAAHS community and the broader Burning Man community***. 100% of these funds will go directly to these local artists. Further, it may be possible for us to get corporate matching to DOUBLE the funds raised here.
***Importantly: we must recognize that Burning Man is overwhelmingly white and cisgender. BAAAHS membership reflects that disparity. As a community, we have failed our Black, POC, and trans brothers and sisters. We need to fix that and do much better. We “burners” talk about “radical inclusion” as a guiding principle, yet the yearly census proves that we don’t put in the necessary effort to make radical inclusion a reality. BAAAHS is committed to fixing that. Stay tuned for an action plan. If you have ideas or would like to discuss further, please get in touch. We’d like to engage the entire Burning Man community in this effort.