Computer Says Maybe NYC Live: Let Them Eat Compute
Oct 2, 2025
KD Minor, Community Solutions Manager at the Alliance for Affordable Energy, reveals how data centers strain Louisiana's energy resources and discusses strategies to mobilize community action. KeShaun Pearson, a community organizer with Memphis Community Against Pollution, highlights the harmful effects of Elon Musk's xAI facilities on predominantly Black neighborhoods and the fight for public health. The conversation delves into corporate accountability, environmental racism, and the need for grassroots organizing to protect communities from the tech industry's unchecked expansion.
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Secrecy In Big Tech Deals
- Secrecy and redacted filings are common in large data center deals, blocking community scrutiny.
- Utilities and regulators often rush approvals and allow bypassing standard procurement safeguards.
Target Clear Decision Points
- Create clear tactical targets like annexation votes or power contracts to focus campaigns.
- Show up in public meetings and flood them with visible opposition to shift political decisions.
Memphis Suffered Illegal Turbine Pollution
- KeShaun described breathing air while up to 33 methane turbines ran and illegal operations occurred without permits.
- Memphis saw nitrogen oxide spike 79% in one year, worsening asthma and public health outcomes.