Memphis vs. Musk, With Representative Justin J. Pearson
“No matter how many billions you have, you don’t have enough to buy our lives.”
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Memphis vs. Musk, with Rep. Justin J. Pearson | A People’s Climate
Host Shilpi Chhotray is joined by Tennessee State Representative Justin J. Pearson, a fierce advocate taking on corporate power — from Big Oil to Big Tech. You may know him as one of the two Black representatives who was expelled for demanding gun reform on the House floor after The Covenant school shooting in Nashville. But long before becoming one of the youngest members of the Tennessee legislature, Rep. Pearson was on the frontlines in South Memphis, organizing against a crude oil pipeline that threatened his hometown.
Now, in Rep. Pearson’s district, Elon Musk’s xAI project is expanding its empire with massive, unregulated data centers that pollute the air, threaten their water, and undermine hard-won environmental protections. This conversation is about fighting against entrenched corruption, unchecked corporate and political power, and billionaires who put profit over people’s health and future.
Key Topics Covered:
- Defeating the Valero / Plains All American Byhalia Pipeline
- The rise of Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis and the environmental toll of artificial intelligence
- Money in politics: How corporate lobbying and billionaires shape elections and policy
- Civil disobedience: The role of protest, direct action, and speaking truth to power
- Keeping people power alive in the face of corruption and broken systems
- Proximity to the fight: Understanding your local representatives, connecting local struggles to federal policies, and focusing energy where it can make the most impact
Resources
- Memphis Community Against Pollution
- Rep. Justin J. Pearson’s Speech on the House floor before being expelled
- “How Long, Not Long” Martin Luther King Jr. speech after marching from Selma to Montgomery
- NAACP and Advocacy Groups Appeal Permit for xAI’s South Memphis Data Center
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Host Shilpi Chhotray is joined by Tennessee state Representative Justin J. Pearson, a fierce advocate of taking on corporate power—from Big Oil to Big Tech. You may know him as one of the two Black representatives who was expelled for demanding gun reform on the House floor after the Covenant school shooting in Nashville. But long before becoming one of the youngest members of the Tennessee legislature, Representative Pearson was on the front lines in South Memphis, organizing against a crude-oil pipeline that threatened his hometown.
Now, in Representative Pearson’s district, Elon Musk’s xAI project is expanding its empire with massive, unregulated data centers that pollute the air, threaten their water, and undermine hard-won environmental protections. This conversation is about fighting against entrenched corruption, unchecked corporate and political power, and billionaires who put profit over people’s health and future.
Key Topics Covered:
- Defeating the Valero / Plains All American Byhalia Pipeline
- The rise of Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis and the environmental toll of artificial intelligence
- Money in politics: How corporate lobbying and billionaires shape elections and policy
- Civil disobedience: The role of protest, direct action, and speaking truth to power
- Keeping people power alive in the face of corruption and broken systems
- Proximity to the fight: Understanding your local representatives, connecting local struggles to federal policies, and focusing energy where it can make the most impact
Resources
NAACP and Advocacy Groups Appeal Permit for xAI’s South Memphis Data Center
Memphis Community Against Pollution
Rep. Justin J. Pearson’s Speech on the House floor before being expelled
“How Long, Not Long” Martin Luther King Jr. speech after marching from Selma to Montgomery
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The Nation Podcasts
Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
Seeds of Resistance with Vivien Sansour | A People’s Climate
In this episode of A People’s Climate, host Shilpi Chhotray sits down with Vivien Sansour, founder of the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library, for a powerful conversation about resistance in the face of Israeli militarism, occupation, and ecological devastation.
For two years, the world watched Israel’s genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing campaign across Palestine — including the annihilation of Palestinian land, contamination of water, and the carbon-intensive bombardment that has choked the air and scorched the soil. Entire food systems have been erased. And yet, so many environmentalists remain silent. Vivien makes it clear that climate conversations cannot be separated from Western imperialism and genocide.
From saving heirloom seeds to ancestral farming practices, Vivien shares how Palestinian farmers and land stewards are not only protecting the environment but also preserving culture, memory, and survival itself.
Key Themes & Topics:
- The intersection of conservation, human rights, and food sovereignty
- Why protecting heirloom seeds is essential for culture, memory, and survival
- Israeli militarism and settler expansion in Palestine
- Ancestral agricultural practices that date back tens of thousands of years
- The long-standing destructive impact of industrialized agriculture on land and food systems
- Global solidarity with Palestine
Resources
- Palestine Heirloom Seed Library
- Traveling Kitchen
- Subversive Rebels by Vivien Sansour
Palestinian Land, Heritage, and Identity – Shilpi Chhotray in conversation with Rania Batrice
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/THENATION
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