You’ve probably heard a little (link) … here (link)… and there (link)… about the proposed “small scale” Edged artificial intelligence (AI) data center on the Prichard side of Africatown. This blog post is for folks looking to understand the proposal and what it represents more clearly, especially in contrast to other Africatown development proposals and other “hyper scale” data centers, which are plaguing communities all across the country at the moment, including in other parts of Alabama. Especially and obviously, tracking whether or not this particularly Black corner of Mobile County was /targeted/ due to its racial makeup is also extremely important.
If that information makes you wonder, keep reading! You will challenge your way of thinking about what you know about this particular “small scale” AI data center proposal. You will also takeaway quite a bit more about how “development” typically looks in the Africatown area and how it /can look/, as well.
If you think this information was slow to arrive to you cause you’ve been upset and worried about this proposal for a minute, you’re not wrong. But if you’re a member of our community, then you know about how the rights our elders and ancestors bled and died for are under legal attack in unprecedented ways, including categorically racist legislative actions of the Alabama legislature’s majority political party. This legal attack on the Voting Rights Act has spread to Alabama, and we are in a period of extraordinary election chaos and legal jeopardy for our communities’ ability to choose elected representation of preference. So, we’ve been busy keeping up and responding, and surely y’all eager readers can spare some grace, especially if you haven’t already been in the streets or in Montgomery or your elected representatives’ voicemails and inboxes over it all. Democracy isn’t a spectator sport. You can’t wait for it.
DISCLAIMER:
This post contains a lot of words. Thinkers and readers will have no problem navigating it, but if this gets hard for you, please ask your employer or campaign director for help. MEJAC is not responsible for the stress relieved or caused.
But MEJAC is happy for you. Or sorry that happened.
Also before we jump in feet first, please make note of the next City of Prichard Community Meeting about the proposed “small scale” AI data center on the Africatown side of Prichard, set for Thursday, June 11 at 6pm at Prichard City Hall, 216 E Prichard Ave, Mobile, AL 36610. If you care and you are able, you will be there:
The sections ahead are:
- A Little On the Resistance to Artificial Intelligence Data Centers
- On Prichard, Africatown, and MEJAC
- The April 7, 2026 Prichard Community Meeting & Its Aftermath
- Zoning Considerations of the Proposed Facility Location
- Does Edged Target Black Neighborhoods? Does Edged Target Low-Income Communities?
- What are Edged’s “Waterless Cooling” Systems like Up Close? Are they as Noiseless as Advertised?
- Africatown has Air Pollution Challenges. Would an Edged AI Data Center Pose any Air Pollution Concerns?
- What about Energy Costs? Would our Electric Grid be Able to Meet the Demands of Edged’s Clients?
- A Second Community Meeting – Thursday, June 11 at 6pm. What Corrupt Practices are they Employing? Isn’t this a Done Deal?
- Prichard has Needs. What Community Benefits Guarantees are Edged Willing to Make? How Will they be Codified?
- We’re Still Against The Prichard Data Center! Say No! Don’t be Thoughtful; Be Popular! Etc! – A Closing Thought about MEJAC’s Hard Earned Skepticism and an Invitation to Engage with us
