On August 28th, 2026

CEO and Founder, Denise Abdul-Rahman of Black Sun Light Sustainability and Executive Director Jacqueline Patterson of The Chisholm Legacy Project aired together on CNN This Morning with Audie Cornish.

The conversation centered around Power grids, energy equity & AI data centers.

Residential ratepayers should not pay for the electric energy demand that is required to sustain AI data centers, especially with the low threshold of benefits. This especially true in historically marginalized communities with neglected and frayed grid infrastructure. The data center companies should be paying for the strain they are placing on the grid.

The climate is changing, data centers are exhausting the electric grid and consuming all the water. Communities should organize, advocate for better policies and prepare.

Click here to view what we discussed

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Black Sun Light Sustainability is thinking about how the power outages affected small and historically marginalized businesses, their workers and how their businesses were hurt during a ~14 day shutdown and loss of their goods. These businesses need to be aware that they can file for FEMA assistance.

We stopped by Tiny’s Coffee Bar. The owner Matthew was incredible and a wonderful chef. The atmosphere was wonderful. The outside was like having ice cream on a friend’s porch. There we hosted conversations, listened, learned, laughed and strategized about how to support a just transition for Gary, IN.

Albeit not a large donation it seemed meaningful and timely to support the delivery of 60 box meals that were delivered by 2 important, phenomenal and strong Black Women leaders, who clearly love their City of Gary.

Intense ideation with Gary City Councilwoman Latham and Jacqueline Patterson, Executive Director of The Chisholm Legacy Project

We caught up Karen Williams and Peggy Blackwell. We held a long and beautiful conversation. Providing space for folks to share what happened to them is a form of love. We marked our connection with the photo and coined it “The Fence Conversation “

Visited the community, met with Rev. Boone, State Senator Randolph of the Northwest area.

Black Sun Light Sustainability has delivered 100 gift cards valued at $50 each to the Gary NAACP so they can help Hoosiers impacted by Power Outages.

We caught up with Kimmie Gordon, of Brown Faces, Green Spaces in between her interview with the Chicago Tribune.

Drove through the community. Uprooted trees and debris everywhere. Major trucking companies in the area to cut up all of the damaged trees.

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