Latest news with #NAACP
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Trump is targeting Harvard to 'divide and conquer Americans': Harvard Prof. Cornell William Brooks
Harvard Professor and former NAACP President Dr. Cornell William Brooks argues on PoliticsNation that Trump's targeting of elite U.S. academic institutions like Harvard University makes America less competitive on the global scale — and urges all Americans to resist division and "save democracy in the streets."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
NAACP pens letter calling for end of xAI supercomputer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Your News Leader has obtained a letter sent by the NAACP calling for local regulators to immediately stop Elon Musk's supercomputer project. The letter was sent on Thursday to the Shelby County Health Department and the Commissioner of Memphis, Light, Gas and Water. The civil rights group claims xAI's operations in southwest Memphis are out of compliance with environmental rules. Pearson calls out Health Department, Mayor Harris over xAI In the letter, they urged the health department and MLGW to issue an emergency order for xAI to cease operations completely. You can read the full letter below: naacp-xai-mlgw-scdh-letterDownload We have reached out to MLGW and the Shelby County Health Department for a response. We will update this story when we have more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
NAACP calls on Memphis officials to halt operations at xAI's ‘dirty data center'
The NAACP is calling on local officials to halt operations at Colossus, the 'supercomputer' facility operated by Elon Musk's xAI in South Memphis. As reported in NBC News, leaders from the civil rights group sent a letter Thursday to the Shelby County Health Department and Memphis Light Gas and Water criticizing the organizations' 'lackadaisical approach to the operation of this dirty data center' and calling on them to 'issue an emergency order for xAI to stop operations completely' — or if there's no order, to at least cite and stop the company from allegedly violating clean air laws. The letter expressed particular concerns around the gas turbines that xAI runs to power Colossus. The company has applied for a permit to continue operating 15 gas turbines at the facility, although the NAACP said authorities have 'allowed xAI to operate at least 35 gas turbines without any permitting' over the past year. City officials have previously said xAI did not need permits for the turbines' first year of use. These turbines reportedly emit hazardous air pollutants, including formaldehyde, at levels exceeding EPA limits. The NAACP's letter also pointed to the turbines' nitrogen-oxide emissions. Noting that the Colossus facility is located near South Memphis' Boxtown neighborhood, which the letter described as a 'historically Black community,' the NAACP said the location perpetuates 'the trend of industries adding pollution to communities who do not cause the problem.' 'Instead of [the Shelby County Health Department] working to reduce health issues known in the area including that cancer risks are already four times the national average, it has allowed xAI to operate above the law,' the NAACP added. The NAACP's letter is addressed to Shelby County Health Department Director Michelle Taylor, as well as Memphis Light Gas and Water's commissioners; Taylor is leaving her role in Shelby County to become the commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department. TechCrunch has reached out to the NAACP and xAI for comment. A spokesperson for Memphis Light Gas and Water told NBC News that it had not yet received the NAACP letter.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
NAACP calls on Memphis officials to halt operations at xAI's ‘dirty data center'
The NAACP is calling on local officials to halt operations at Colossus, the 'supercomputer' facility operated by Elon Musk's xAI in South Memphis. As reported in NBC News, leaders from the civil rights group sent a letter Thursday to the Shelby County Health Department and Memphis Light Gas and Water criticizing the organizations' 'lackadaisical approach to the operation of this dirty data center' and calling on them to 'issue an emergency order for xAI to stop operations completely' — or if there's no order, to at least cite and stop the company from allegedly violating clean air laws. The letter expressed particular concerns around the gas turbines that xAI runs to power Colossus. The company has applied for a permit to continue operating 15 gas turbines at the facility, although the NAACP said authorities have 'allowed xAI to operate at least 35 gas turbines without any permitting' over the past year. City officials have previously said xAI did not need permits for the turbines' first year of use. These turbines reportedly emit hazardous air pollutants, including formaldehyde, at levels exceeding EPA limits. The NAACP's letter also pointed to the turbines' nitrogen-oxide emissions. Noting that the Colossus facility is located near South Memphis' Boxtown neighborhood, which the letter described as a 'historically Black community,' the NAACP said the location perpetuates 'the trend of industries adding pollution to communities who do not cause the problem.' 'Instead of [the Shelby County Health Department] working to reduce health issues known in the area including that cancer risks are already four times the national average, it has allowed xAI to operate above the law,' the NAACP added. The NAACP's letter is addressed to Shelby County Health Department Director Michelle Taylor, as well as Memphis Light Gas and Water's commissioners; Taylor is leaving her role in Shelby County to become the commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department. TechCrunch has reached out to the NAACP and xAI for comment. A spokesperson for Memphis Light Gas and Water told NBC News that it had not yet received the NAACP letter. Sign in to access your portfolio
TechCrunch
a day ago
- Health
- TechCrunch
NAACP calls on Memphis officials to halt operations at xAI's ‘dirty data center'
The NAACP is calling on local officials to halt operations at Colossus, the 'supercomputer' facility operated by Elon Musk's xAI in South Memphis. As reported in NBC News, leaders from the civil rights group sent a letter Thursday to the Shelby County Health Department and Memphis Light Gas and Water criticizing the organizations' 'lackadaisical approach to the operation of this dirty data center' and calling on them to 'issue an emergency order for xAI to stop operations completely' — or if there's no order, to at least cite and stop the company from allegedly violating clean air laws. The letter expressed particular concerns around the gas turbines that xAI runs to power Colossus. The company has applied for a permit to continue operating 15 gas turbines at the facility, although the NAACP said authorities have 'allowed xAI to operate at least 35 gas turbines without any permitting' over the past year. City officials have previously said xAI did not need permits for the turbines' first year of use. These turbines reportedly emit hazardous air pollutants, including formaldehyde, at levels exceeding EPA limits. The NAACP's letter also pointed to the turbines' nitrogen-oxide emissions. Noting that the Colossus facility is located near South Memphis' Boxtown neighborhood, which the letter described as a 'historically Black community,' the NAACP said the location perpetuates 'the trend of industries adding pollution to communities who do not cause the problem.' 'Instead of [the Shelby County Health Department] working to reduce health issues known in the area including that cancer risks are already four times the national average, it has allowed xAI to operate above the law,' the NAACP added. The NAACP's letter is addressed to Shelby County Health Department Director Michelle Taylor, as well as Memphis Light Gas and Water's commissioners; Taylor is leaving her role in Shelby County to become the commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department. Techcrunch event Save now through June 4 for TechCrunch Sessions: AI Save $300 on your ticket to TC Sessions: AI—and get 50% off a second. Hear from leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Khosla Ventures, and more during a full day of expert insights, hands-on workshops, and high-impact networking. These low-rate deals disappear when the doors open on June 5. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW TechCrunch has reached out to the NAACP and xAI for comment. A spokesperson for Memphis Light Gas and Water told NBC News that it had not yet received the NAACP letter.
