Self-reliance is one of our core principles, and we are each responsible for our own experiences. Sometimes, however, something outside our control happens to us. In these instances, you are not alone. Your safety and the ongoing safety of the community is also of paramount importance.
If you want to discuss a sensitive matter with the Board, we can be reached at board@fzbtx.com. Our conversation will be held in confidence. Any actions we take as a result of our conversation will be shared only with the people they directly impact.
FreezerBurn adopted an Eleventh Principle, Consent, in addition to the 10 Burning Man principles because of its importance. Shedding light on missing stairs and protecting the community from known predators are among the Board’s primary concerns. To that end, we encourage members of the community with firsthand experience of consent violations to come forward.
Who should you reach out to?
- At FreezerBurn itself, find a Ranger or a Sanctuary volunteer. Ranger-Sanctuary teams roam the event in pairs and can be identified by their department shirts and radios. There are also volunteers from both departments on-duty and at Safety HQ at all times. They will ask if you want to speak directly with a Board Member.
- At work weekends and other FreezerBurn events, find any Lead, AF, or Board Member.
- At all other times, email the Board at board@fzbtx.com.
What happens after you reach out?
What will happen:
- We promise to take this seriously. (If you do not feel heard by a Ranger or Sanctuary volunteer, feel free to escalate the situation to the Board. You are welcome to contact the Board as a group or any Board Member individually: Pitter Patter, Renegade, or Quickfinger.)
- We might have questions for you. Answer what you are able, and set boundaries if you need to. More information can help us make more informed decisions. Questions might include requests for more detail about the incident or whether you feel safe around the individual.
- If you know of other folks who have had their consent violated by the same individual and who are willing to talk to us, we’ll want to hear from them too. Encourage them to contact us directly. (This is by no means required, but it can help us understand if there’s a pattern of behavior.)
What won’t happen:
- No one will “out” you to the individual in question without your permission.
- We won’t get involved in public conversations about specific consent violations, except to encourage folks to contact us directly.
What happens next?
After conversations are had and all the available information is collected, one or more of the following things will happen:
- The FreezerBurn Board will keep collecting more information on this person as it becomes available.
- A Board Member will have a conversation with the individual.
- The individual will be barred from key volunteer roles for FreezerBurn and Art Community Builders.
- The individual in question will not be allowed to attend FreezerBurn or other events hosted by Art Community Builders (the nonprofit that runs FreezerBurn).