Unlocked | NM Special Report: Burning Man Blockade w/ Michelle Lhooq

First released: 31 Aug 2023 | To join New Models, find us via
patreon.com/newmodels & newmodels.substack.com On Sunday (27
Aug 2023), climate activists blocked the road to Burning Man,
demanding that the festival—which was founded on principles of
decommodification, radical self-reliance, and civic
responsibility—ban single-use plastics and private jets. While the
protest delayed a relatively small amount of physical traffic for
less than an hour, it seized swathes of the online space for days
given the action's adjacency to so many memetic themes, incl.:
#climate, #collapse, #decarbonization, #privilege, #indigenous
(land), #police and ofc the punching bag that is #burningman. Much
of the initial drama played out on the Instagram and X accounts of
gonzo journalist Michelle Lhooq (Rave New World) who broke the
story while on assignment for The Guardian. On Monday, Michelle
joined New Models from Reno to discuss what she witnessed as well
as the changing nature of activism’s stage both online and off.

For more: IG: @michellelhooq X: @MichelleLhooq
https://ravenewworld.substack.com
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/aug/28/burning-man-protest-climate-change-environment