An Ego Can’t Build a Temple Glitter Kitty embraces community and shadow work in her vision for Burning Man 2024’s Temple of Together Lebanese-bred and Brazil-born Caroline Ghosn learned to place a high value on deep connections from an early life lived in a larger variety of cities than your average childhood. The “activist entrepreneur” became Glitter Kitty in 2015 and has brought to the playa the sculptures Do Not Cross and Disturb My Slumber, paving the way for arguably her greatest feat, Burning Man’s 2024 Temple of Together. Arash interviews Caroline in April 2024, just as the temple team begins their transition from individual fundraising to the next phase of their efforts. Their conversation explores multi-generational trauma, the spiritual compulsion that is art-making, and multiple geek-outs about Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. Chapter One: Highly Sensitive Chapter Two: When You’re in Hell, Keep Walking Chapter Three: Tiny Cute little Human Ego Chapter Four: Why Temple Chapter Five: The Gardner and the Architect Chapter Six: Gratitude &nbsp; Links:     &nbsp; Recorded at Robot Heart Residency chill space at all The Loom makerspace in Oakland, California, on April 20, 2024. ()    &nbsp; Additional recording at Dome Asylum in Ramona, CA    &nbsp; This episode was produced by Kelly Smith () Executive Producer Patrick Dylan Riley () &nbsp; About Burner Podcast: Independently produced by a revolving team of volunteers and hosted by founder ‘Mister Arash’, Burner Podcast is the longest running traditional podcast in the global Burning Man community. Focused on year-round Burner consciousness and topics of intracultural interest, explore a decade’s worth of conversations at . DJ sets featured on Burner Podcast can be found here:  Follow  and  for wildly irregular updates. Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American SoCal-based(ish) professional photographer, writer and community building addict. Send him love or hate mail directly at  and follow his writing on  at , where he publishes new pieces on culture, Art and identity every Friday. For bookings and inquiries, contact Arash’s management at

An Ego Can’t Build a Temple

A collection of voices recorded at Burning Man 2016 Cabina Exuro was a Burner Podcast-sponsored art project designed by Ramiro Martinez Jr. that went to Black Rock City in 2016. Externally, it appeared as a triambic icosahedron sculpture, adorned with intricate laser-cut patterns and LED lights. Upon closer inspection, participants discovered an entryway that transported them into a 1940s-era radio station set, where they were invited to become radio guests and answer prompts which were recorded and saved to be shared someday in the future. About 100 Burners stumbled upon this unique project and recorded their voices, sharing personal stories, reflections, and experiences. These recordings were never shared publicly—until now. In this very special episode of Burner Podcast, we bring you some of those voices from Burning Man 2016.   Episode 152 Recorded at Black Rock City, Nevada, during Burning Man 2016 Additional recording in Laguna Niguel, CA, 2024 Some sound effects courtesy of  This episode was produced by all the folks who helped bring Cabina Exuro to Burning Man, including (but not at all limited to) Ramiro Martinez Jr., Tori Massie, Navjeet Sarna, Little Bear, Sam Godar, Amber Rose, Paul McCarthy, Arthur Roehr, Joseph Plummer, and Denise M. Lozano. About Burner Podcast: Independently produced by a revolving team of volunteers and hosted by founder ‘Mister Arash,’ Burner Podcast is the longest-running traditional podcast in the global Burning Man community and is listed among the top 5% of podcasts globally. Focused on year-round Burner consciousness and topics of intracultural interest, explore a decade’s worth of conversations at . DJ sets featured on Burner Podcast can be found here:  Follow  and  for wildly irregular updates. Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American SoCal-based(ish) professional photographer, writer, and community-building addict. You can find him at . For bookings and inquiries, contact Arash’s manager and Burner Podcast Executive Producer Patrick Dylan Riley at .

A Burning Man Audio Time Capsule

The Annual Pre Playa Planner™ For this year’s annual Pre Playa Planner, Arash joins Dusty Bottoms, Fantastic Sam, Nikki Darling in Long Beach, CA to geek out about all things Burning Man 2024. As always, this is the episode where Arash outsources all the real work to the his guests. The group chats about art projects we’re eager to see, dance floors we love and experiences we’re looking forward to diving into as well as some semi-valuable survival tips for your so called ‘vacation’ in the inhospitable Nevada Black Rock Desert. Episode 153 Recorded in Long Beach, CA on July 13, 2024 Learn more about the 2024 Temple:  Your playa roadtrip audio toolkit!  Previous Pre Playa Planners:   -  Contributing Producer: Dusty Bottoms of Camp Acorn Oasis About Burner Podcast: Independently produced by a revolving team of volunteers and hosted by founder ‘Mister Arash,’ Burner Podcast is the longest-running traditional podcast in the global Burning Man community and is listed among the top 5% of podcasts globally. Focused on year-round Burner consciousness and topics of intracultural interest, explore a decade’s worth of conversations at . DJ sets featured on Burner Podcast can be found here:  Follow  and  for wildly irregular updates. Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American SoCal-based(ish) professional photographer, writer, and community-building addict. Find him at  For bookings and inquiries, contact Arash’s manager and Burner Podcast Executive Producer Patrick Dylan Riley at .

Roadtrip to Burning Man 2024

155 Burn Perimeter

📅&nbsp;2/29/2025 The importance of physical community spaces has never been greater. In this episode, we dive into the story of CoLab, San Diego’s maker space—where it started, what it took to get to where it is now, and why spaces like this are essential for the future of our communities. The go-live day of this episode marks CoLab's 11th birthday! CoLab’s lease began on March 1, 2014—making it the perfect time to reflect on how it came together and why having a dedicated space for creators, builders and community matters more than ever.  🎙 Episode Info 🎧 Burner Podcast | Episode 156 📍 Recorded on January 23, 2025, in San Diego 📝 Featuring: Jon Ray, Diane Hoffoss, Cecile Pham, Vic "Jolly Rancher" Liao, J-Good  🌎 Connect &amp; Learn More 🔗 CoLab:  🔗 Jon Ray:  🔗 Diane Hoffoss:  🔗 Cecile Pham:  🔗 Vic "Jolly Rancher" Liao:  🔗 J-Good:  🎧 DJ Set Featured: Tomothy Bee aka Tasty Tim 🎵  📍Tim’s DJ set was recorded live at Disorient, Burning Man 2024  📷 Cover photo by Justin Wojdula  If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend, and if you're feeling extra generous, check out  for ways to support the show.  🌟 About the Show Featuring in-depth conversations with artists, organizers, and visionaries shaping Burner culture year-round, Burner Podcast is the longest-running traditional long-form audio podcast in the global Burning Man community. Ranked in the top 5% of podcasts globally by Listen Notes, it has been exploring Burner culture for over a decade. 🎧 Dive into the archive at  📲 Follow  on Instagram and  for wildly irregular updates  🌟 About the Host Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American, SoCal-born, and Las Vegas-based professional photographer and community-building addict. 🔗 Explore his projects at  📸 Follow him on Instagram:  💌 Send love (or hate) mail:

CoLab - San Diego’s Maker Community Space

The Dispatch – Episode 001: Public Menace Guest: Jonny aka Public Menace Recorded on 2/25/25 Jonny, also known as Public Menace, shook up Reddit with his independent 180-page audit of Burning Man.&nbsp;In the inaugural episode of The Dispatch, Arash and Menace hop on a call to chat about some takeaways.  Transparency, Transparency, Transparency Burners are usually 10 years ahead on everything—why not this? How do we as Burners want to be governed?  Reddit: @Public__Menace Email:&nbsp;  *** About Burner Podcast Presents: The Dispatch Quick-bite conversations with Burners around the world. Featuring past guests and new voices, The Dispatch keeps the signal alive with check-ins to keep the seat warm between full episodes of Burner Podcast which go live at the end of each month.&nbsp;

The Dispatch with Public Menace

The Dispatch – Episode 002: Rat Lady Guest: Rat Lady Recorded on: 2/28/25          Arash hops on a call with Rat Lady of Mobility Camp to discuss practical ways we can all practice Radical Inclusion by making our Burns more accessible for participants with disabilities—and how to bring that mindset into the default world. Fun takeaway: No one gets to be a sparkle pony, not even at Mobility Camp! We don't have to be perfect but a little effort goes a long way. mobilitycamp.org      &nbsp;      About Burner Podcast Presents: The Dispatch Quick-bite conversations with Burners around the world. Featuring past guests and new voices, The Dispatch keeps the signal alive with check-ins to keep the seat warm between full episodes of Burner Podcast, which go live at the end of each month.

The Dispatch with Rat Lady of Mobility Camp

Anthony Bondi refuses to let Las Vegas’s arts history disappear For over two decades, Anthony Bondi has been a living archive of Las Vegas’ arts and counterculture movements. From his large-scale tactile installations at Burning Man to his massive independent archive, Las Vegas Arts in Print Media, 1990–2015, Tony has tirelessly documented the ephemeral and forgotten corners of creative expression in Sin City. In this conversation, Tony and Arash explore the nature of cultural memory and the role of artists and storytellers. Tony guides Arash through an experiential journey into the hidden history of Las Vegas and its underground arts scene.  Burner Podcast | Episode 157 Recorded in Las Vegas on March 28 and published March 31, 2025 🔗 Las Vegas Arts in Print Media&nbsp; 🔗  📺 Anthony on  🎧 DJ Set Featured: Tomothy Bee aka Tasty Tim 🎵

Talk to Tony

Burner Podcast Presents The Dispatch&nbsp; Joseph Mancuso, better known as Joman, is the producer behind the Burner Podcast theme song, a remix of America’s “Horse With No Name.” In this Dispatch, Arash and Joman catch up about dance music culture, his move from Denver to Austin, and his latest evolution as a video content creator. From viral bootlegs to Beatport charts, Joman’s journey weaves through Denver’s underground, Burning Man, and beyond.  🎧 Featured Tracks:      🔗 More from Joman:  |  |

The Dispatch | With Music Producer Joman

And on his seventh Burn, Tyler Williams truly came Home For his first six Burns, musician and professional Las Vegas community builder Tyler Williams attended Burning Man the millionaire way — flying in late, partying big, and heading out before the Temple burn. After the tragic death of his friend and boss, Zappos founder Tony Hsieh, Tyler returned to the playa — this time sober and with a deeper sense of intention. In this interview memoir, Tyler shares his story of growing up in the church, landing in Las Vegas with his band, and eventually working alongside Tony during the Downtown Project’s legendary revitalization of Fremont Street. Along the way, Arash and Tyler explore the lows of Ketamine and the real highs found in purpose, community, and creative contribution.  Burner Podcast | Episode 158 Recorded on Bicycle Day of 2025 in Las Vegas, NV 🔗 Tyler’s LinkedIn:  🔗 Tyler’s music:   If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend, and if you're feeling extra generous, check out  for ways to support the show.  🌟 About the Show Featuring in-depth conversations with artists, leaders, and visionaries shaping Burner culture year-round, Burner Podcast is the longest-running traditional audio podcast in the global Burning Man community. Ranked among the top 5% of podcasts worldwide by Listen Notes, it has been exploring international Burner culture for over a decade. 🎧 Dive into the archive at  📲 Follow  on Instagram and  for wildly irregular updates  🌟 About the Host Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American, SoCal-born, and Las Vegas-based cultural strategist, creative director and professional photographer. 🔗 Explore his projects at  📸 Follow him on Instagram:  💌 Send love (or hate) mail:

Welcome Home

Independently produced by a revolving team of volunteers and hosted by founder ‘Mister Arash’, Burner Podcast is the longest running traditional podcast in the global Burning Man community. Focused on year-round Burner consciousness and topics of intracultural interest, explore a decade’s worth of conversations at burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes.

This Soundcloud channel also shares Burner content and other podcasts from the extended Burner Podcast family including Into The Fire Podcast hosted by Super Suz, Build To Burn Podcast hosted by Scott Froschauer and more! (Not that much more but more, nonetheless.)

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