Want to resist a data center? These organizers share how they did it.

Across the United States, communities are increasingly resisting the proliferation of massive data centers, driven by concerns over noise, pollution, and the hyperconsumption of water and electricity. This article, originally published by Truthout, presents a roundtable discussion with organizers from three different campaigns. KeShaun Pearson, leader of Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP), is actively campaigning against Elon Musk's xAI Colossus supercomputer in southwest Memphis, advocating for quick community activation. Tricia Boehlke of No Data Center in DeForest, Wisconsin, successfully halted a proposed data center outside Madison, stressing the need for early engagement in public meetings and open records requests. Lee Ziesche, organizing with the No Desert Data Center Coalition in Tucson, Arizona, saw Amazon withdraw from Project Blue, although developers are still trying to advance it. Ziesche emphasizes identifying local levers of power and leveraging community expertise on water and energy issues. The organizers shared common strategies for effective resistance, including broad social media outreach, door-to-door conversations, and holding alternative public events to counter developer-led 'propaganda sessions.' They underscored the importance of building diverse coalitions by connecting with existing groups and focusing on shared concerns like water scarcity or environmental justice. Key challenges include sustaining volunteer-run efforts, combating expensive disinformation campaigns from developers, and ensuring community expertise is taken seriously by elected officials who often defer to corporate or utility experts. They advise constant vigilance over planning boards, simplifying core messages, and not being afraid to make elected officials uncomfortable during public hearings, as these fights are seen as critical for the future livability and self-determination of their communities.