People everywhere are demanding a halt to the rapid expansion of AI-driven data centers. Join us to take a closer look at real-world tactics that target corporations, and how these tactics can help us to win data center moratoria.
About this event
Driven by the explosion of AI infrastructure and its immense resource demands, data centers have become a highly salient, contentious, and rapidly evolving political and environmental issue. A lack of public oversight threatens to only further enrich the ultra-wealthy technocrats who are undermining our democracy.
The window is closing for rational voices to intervene. Third Act is convening monthly calls on data centers this year to cover multiple strategic pathways to counter the threat: we’ll cover legal, corporate, political, and narrative approaches to winning these fights.
We’ve discussed legal and regulatory approaches to moratoria in April; this month we’ll review opportunities to target corporations to stop data center construction.
Pony Knowles, Organizing & Campaigns Lead, Third Act
Pony Knowles’ (he/they) former Director, National Campaigns, Trans Justice at the ACLU National Political Advocacy Division, working with a team that fights for LGBTQ and trans rights at the federal level, including access to gender affirming care, employment and housing, sex work decriminalization, and full inclusion in communities. Prior to working at the ACLU, Pony was the US Campaigns Director at Change.org, responsible for expanding media coverage, helping develop product innovations for better civic engagement opportunities, and most importantly identifying and developing campaign opportunities across a full slate of issue areas. Notable campaign victories include bringing Brittney Griner home, protecting gender affirming care in states like Kansas, and clemency for Julius Jones and Rodney Reed.
Previous to his work at Change.org, Pony led the National Engagement team at SAGE, leading innovative initiatives to connect LGBTQ elders to larger communities of care and policies that protect and affirm them as they age. Other past experience includes leading student engagement for Empty the Shelters and Poor Peoples’ Human Rights Campaign, and teaching French literature and history — with a particular focus on the stories we tell each other about revolution and social change — at a number of universities in the US and abroad.
Michael Richardson, Third Act Campaigns Director
Prior to joining Third Act staff, Michael co-founded the Third Act Working Group in Upstate New York. He has been a leader within New York’s climate movement, serving on the steering committee of NY Renews – the coalition behind the landmark New York State climate law – and as co-chair of Public Power NY – the coalition for furthering the buildout of publicly-owned renewable energy.
Across a wide-ranging career—including organic farmer, solar heating contractor, labor economist, county legislator, and municipal consultant Michael has consistently applied his skills to strengthening democracy, protecting the climate, and advancing community-led solutions.
