SouthTalks: Unwaivering Resistance: Community Robustness in the AI Era of Exploitation

Overview

In southwest Memphis, there is a saying that KeShaun Pearson’s mother often uses: “We are all we got.” Redlined into toxic industrial zones, the residents of Boxtown and Westwood in Memphis keep finding ways to stand up to exploitation and extraction by billionaires. In this SouthTalk, we will get a glimpse into what drives such a powerful resilience from some of the most vulnerable people.

KeShaun Pearson is a Memphis-based leader at the forefront of the fight for environmental justice, known for making complex issues accessible to the communities most affected by them. As executive director of Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP), he leads campaigns to protect South Memphis residents from toxic air pollution and to safeguard community health from corporate overreach.

Pearson’s advocacy began in 2020 during the Byhalia Connection Pipeline fight, where he helped mobilize grassroots resistance against two multibillion-dollar oil companies attempting to build through predominantly Black neighborhoods. His work drew national attention, earning the support of public figures like Bishop William Barber, Al Gore, and Justin Timberlake. Since then, he has expanded his leadership to other high-stakes battles, including organizing against Elon Musk’s xAI Colossus data center project in Memphis—a fight to protect vulnerable communities from environmental harm under the guise of technological progress.

This SouthTalk is cosponsored by the Gulf Scholars Program, codirected by Katie McKee and Rich Buchholz, along with program manager Sophie Peranich.