Crossing Party Lines: Atlanta, GA

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Because we have been having issues with the correct date/time not showing up on Meetup, we encourage you to register at the link above to receive your Zoom link and confirmation email.

The 1965 Voting Rights Act is widely considered one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. Over the decades, the law has shaped conversations about voting access, representation, discrimination, and the role of government in elections. More recently, Supreme Court decisions involving the Voting Rights Act and voting districts have renewed debate about how representation should be determined and what role race should play in drawing district boundaries.

At the same time, conversations about redistricting often involve more than one concern. Some people focus on protecting minority representation and preventing discrimination, while others raise questions about political influence, fairness, or the ways district lines can benefit political parties or incumbents. At this meeting, we’ll explore how people think about voting rights, representation, and fairness in light of these ongoing changes.

REGISTER HERE!

Because we have been having issues with the correct date/time not showing up on Meetup, we encourage you to register at the link above to receive your Zoom link and confirmation email.

The system of checks and balances is a foundational part of the U.S. government, designed to ensure that no single branch holds too much power. Recent events have made people question whether these checks and balances still can hold. At this meeting, we’ll explore how checks and balances operate today and what they mean for the balance of power in government.

We’ll ask questions such as:

• What’s working with checks and balances, and what aspects aren’t working?
• How has partisan politics affected the ways checks and balances work?
• When, if ever, should one branch have more influence than the others?
• How can we better ensure that each branch maintains independence?

This will be an opportunity to explore different perspectives on how power is shared, limited, and exercised within the U.S. government.
Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.
We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news!

Follow us on:

• Instagram @crossingpartylines
• Twitter @crosspartylines
• Facebook @crossingpartylines

REGISTER HERE

Because we have been having issues with the correct date/time not showing up on Meetup, we encourage you to register at the link above to receive your Zoom link and confirmation email.
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History is often used to help people understand current events, national identity, and social change, yet people can view the meaning and importance of history very differently. Some see studying history as essential for understanding the present, while others question how much the past should shape today’s decisions and priorities. At this meeting, we’ll explore how people relate to history and what role it plays in our country today.
We’ll ask questions such as:

• What experiences have most shaped the way you think about American history?
• When have you felt that learning about history changed how you understood a current issue or event?
• How do you decide which parts of history feel most important to remember, revisit, or discuss?
• In your own life, how have conversations about history brought people together, created tension, or changed relationships?

This will be an opportunity to explore different perspectives on memory, identity, education, and the role history plays in shaping our communities and national conversations.
Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open, and the doors close, approximately 15 minutes after the hour.

We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news!
Follow us on:

• Instagram @crossingpartylines
• Twitter @crosspartylines
• Facebook @crossingpartylines

REGISTER HERE

Because we have been having issues with the correct date/time not showing up on Meetup, we encourage you to register at the link above to receive your Zoom link and confirmation email.

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Data Centers: What Are We Really Consuming?

As demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, streaming services, and digital storage continues to grow, data centers are becoming an increasingly visible part of communities around the country. Some people see them as essential to economic growth, innovation, and modern life, while others raise questions about energy use, water consumption, land development, and local impact.
In this conversation, we’ll explore how people think about the expanding infrastructure behind the digital world and the tradeoffs it may involve.
Discussion Questions

• When have you become more aware of the physical infrastructure behind the internet or digital technology in your own life?
• How do you think about the tradeoffs involved with data centers? What benefits, costs, risks, or impacts stand out most to you, and why?
• What experiences or values have shaped the way you think about balancing technological growth with environmental or community concerns?
• What kinds of policies or guidelines, if any, would you like to see around the construction of data centers or the growth of artificial intelligence technologies?
• How do you personally think about convenience, innovation, and resource use in your relationship with technology?
• If a large data center were proposed in or near your community, what questions or concerns would matter most to you?

This will be an opportunity to explore different perspectives on technology, infrastructure, resource use, and community priorities in a respectful and curious conversation.
Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.
We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news! Follow us on:

• Instagram @crossingpartylines
• Twitter @crosspartylines
• Facebook @crossingpartylines