Episode 65: Erin Douglas

Erin is a travel, culture and lifestyle documentary photographer, creative culture consultant, writer and founder of Black Burner Project. After discovering her love for photography on a solo trip the Philippines, she has placed travel photography at the center of her personal work.

• Erin's first experience of Burning Man [3:17]
• What moved Erin to create the Black Burner Project [10:01]
• The feeling of being one of few [14:08]
• Inspiring potential burners by making people feel seen [20:04]
• Erin's story about the Afro Pick installation [23:23]
• Favourite view [29:00]
• Prayer [31:52]
• Creating the Group Photo and what it meant to people [32:59]
• Reevaluating hierarchy [37:10]
• The Cultural collective of Burning Man [40:04]

Erin creates visually moving imagery to help brands and individuals, usually in the lifestyle and travel space, convey a more organic brand story to aid in marketing their product or service and connect with their audience. As a creative consultant Erin specializes in inclusive storytelling and thoughtfully curated experiences for companies with diversity and inclusion goals both internally and externally.

She created Black Burner project in 2018, returning to Burning Man a second year to document people of color through photography and sharing their personal stories; with a mission to create a space where Burners of color can be seen, to encourage the apprehensive yet curious, create awareness around the event, show the importance of representation and drive diversity. Erin has curated a word of mouth surprise Burners of color group photo at Burning Man increasing the gathering from 35 people in 2018 to 250 people in 2019, becoming the largest gathering of people of color in Burning Man history. Some of her goals include a yearly artist of color grant through the project, tickets to be able to gift to virgin burners of color, and curating immersive art events both on and off playa.

Erin is also a regular speaker on the importance and transformative power of traveling. As a travel advocate, she has spoken in schools, workshops and travel conferences. Her written and photography work has been featured in publications such as Essence, The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Magazine, "Shut Up and Run", Travel Noire, and Conde Nast and photo Exhibitions from Miami to NYC.

Erin's Mission: To tell stories- both visual and written that help inform and inspire others to action

Resources

blackburnerproject.com
Dear White burners piece
https://www.instagram.com/blackburnerproject/

Meet Moses
Cultural Course Correcting by Marian Goodell