Across the South, our communities are being treated as sacrifice zones for the data center boom. Corporations and politicians promise jobs and economic growth, but the reality is poisoned water, strained power grids, and neighborhoods left behind.
Black women are carrying the fight against this new wave of exploitation—leading with courage, clarity, and an unshakable commitment to our communities. From organizing town halls and knocking on doors to testifying before decision-makers, we are demanding accountability. This fight is about more than data centers—it’s about whether our future will be dictated by corporate greed or by the people who call these places home.
Georgia has become one of the fastest-growing data center hubs in the country, and the boom is drawing scrutiny for its true costs. In Mansfield, residents report well-water issues and sediment contamination. Across the state, electricity demand and costly grid upgrades continue to rise, while jobs remain scarce—often fewer than 100 permanent positions. These facilities consume resources on the scale of small cities while communities lack hospitals, maternity care, and basic infrastructure. Just as we saw in Flint and Mississippi, families in rural Georgia now face water they cannot safely drink.
In Memphis, the predominantly Black neighborhood of Boxtown is bearing the brunt of the pollution from Elon Musk’s xAI Project Colossus. The company deployed 35 methane gas turbines, many of which operated for months without full permits or emissions controls, that released nitrogen oxides into the air. University of Tennessee researchers found that peak nitrogen dioxide levels near the site rose by as much as 79% compared to pre-xAI levels. These pollutants hit hardest in vulnerable communities like Boxtown, where residents already face disproportionate health risks. Meanwhile, the promised economic growth has yet to materialize in meaningful jobs or investment.
From Tennessee to Georgia, the pattern is the same: corporations chase profit, local governments fast-track deals, and vulnerable communities pay the price. These facilities may power the future of artificial intelligence, but they cannot be built on the backs of people whose health, land, and water are sacrificed.
Our Demands
We call on leaders in Georgia and Tennessee to:
- Impose a moratorium on new data center permits until independent health and environmental studies are completed.
- Require transparency through public reporting of water use, energy consumption, and emissions.
- End automatic tax breaks and subsidies unless tied to enforceable commitments like clean energy, local jobs, and water-efficient technology.
- Mandate community benefits agreements guaranteeing living-wage jobs, healthcare investments, and protections for vulnerable populations.
- Prioritize environmental justice reviews before approving projects.
Our communities are not sacrifice zones—they are sacred ground.
In Georgia, Georgia Conservation Voters are pressing decision-makers from zoning boards to the state Capitol. In Memphis, Memphis Artists for Change is organizing meetings, canvassing neighborhoods, and using arts and culture to amplify community voices for environmental justice.
We call on residents, faith leaders, and allies to join us: demand moratoriums, push for community benefits agreements, and hold corporations accountable at public hearings and the ballot box. This fight isn’t just about halting reckless development—it’s about building a just future where Southern communities thrive, not suffer, in the shadow of “progress.”
Every person has the right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live free from the fear of corporate exploitation. As scripture reminds us, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24). Environmental justice is not negotiable.
Brionte McCorkle, Executive Director of Georgia Conservation Voters
Tameka Greer, Executive Director of Memphis Artists for Change
