MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Congressional candidate Justin J. Pearson is showing three famed congresswomen around Memphis ahead of his Get Out the Vote rally.<\/p>\n
Pearson will escort Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Summer Lee on a tour of the area surrounding the xAI facility in South Memphis.<\/p>\n
The congresswomen will also meet with residents who say they\u2019ve been impacted by pollution from xAI\u2019s use of methane gas turbines to power its data centers.<\/p>\n
During the press event, Pearson and the three lawmakers\u2014along with community residents\u2014shared their experiences.<\/p>\n
One of the South Memphis residents, a college student who returned home to find the newly-opened xAI in her neighborhood\u2019s backyard spoke about the air quality: \u201cI\u2019ve been suffering everyday since xAI has been here. I don\u2019t deserve to go through this. My family doesn\u2019t deserve to go through this.\u201d <\/p>\n
Another resident echoed the sentiment, highlighting that her community\u2019s health is suffering at the hands of xAI\u2019s air pollution, \u201cwe are constantly facing the fight to breathe clean air. It is a given right to be able to breath clean air and be free of pollution. Our children can\u2019t even play freely without because they have to breathe pollution.\u201d <\/p>\n
Congresswoman Ayanna Presley then spoke, sharing that she is here in Memphis to support Pearson, but also the Memphis residents. \u201cI\u2019m here in solidarity. I\u2019m here because our destinies are tied.\u201d Presley reminisced about her time in the south as a child, and her appreciation for its pure nature, one that she argues is being jeopardized by AI facilities. \u201cI used to spend my summers down south. The hum of cicadas in the south is now being replaced with haunting hum of these Ai data centers.\u201d <\/p>\n
Also standing in solidarity with South Memphis residents, Congresswoman Alexandria \u201cAOC\u201d Ocasio-Cortez spoke about the movement happening in Memphis. \u201cI\u2019m here to uplift so much of the organizing that is happening here in Memphis.\u201d AOC also reinforced the detrimental health effects, citing that residents have struggled with COPD, asthma, and lung cancer. \u201cWe have to have the courage to stand up against projects that hurt people. There are far too few people in positions of power that are willing to tell the truth about what is happening. These [data centers] are making people sick.\u201d <\/p>\n
Pearson closed the press event with thanks to the congresswomen for showing their support. He also noted that he will continue his fight for residents safety and health amid the air pollution concerns. <\/p>\n