If we had to summarize our overall vision in one sentence, it would be this: create places where people learn with each other, from each other, and for each other.

The Long Table is one expression of that vision. We began this series of salon dinners in our dining room over the summer, bringing a small group of people together around a shared meal and a complicated question.

This Wednesday, we’re taking on Understanding the Data Center Dilemma.

AI may feel like something that lives somewhere in the cloud, but the infrastructure behind it is very physical: enormous buildings, vast computing power, significant demands on electricity and water, and increasingly consequential decisions about land, energy, economic development, and community impact.

So how should we think about the rapid expansion of data centers?
What do these facilities make possible? What do they cost? Who benefits? Who bears the burden? And what questions should communities be asking before decisions are made?

The conversation will be facilitated to make space for many perspectives. You do not need to be an expert. We’re gathering to learn from one another, ask better questions, and wrestle with the tradeoffs together. You do need to commit to respect for differing opinions. As far as we know, we are not expecting any billionaires or AI executives to be present, so our conversation is unlikely to have immediate impact beyond our own learning. We're coming together to practice talking with care and respect about complicated and important topics that affect our shared future. Love for you to be there.

This is not a fundraiser. Tickets are $25 and include dinner prepared by Chef Sara Barnes and a beverage. We want these evenings to be welcoming and accessible, so the registration page also offers a no-charge option for anyone for whom the cost is prohibitive.

We hope you’ll join us for thoughtful conversation, unexpected connection, and the kind of community imagination these times call for.

Seating is limited to 25 people.