Desert Dispatch Media

What We’re Doing

Desert Dispatch Media, a project of the Desert Advocacy Media Network, is producing a community-led documentary film on regional responses to threats from the AI buildout. We are prioritizing stories and collaboration from within frontline communities. Melinda Matson Spina, Jodi Darby, and Lee Ziesche are co-facilitators for the project. Primary footage will be collected by four lead filmmakers, who will also have access to community-contributed footage. The documentary will be distributed for educational purposes after a general release and theatrical run. Along with the gathering of footage in the field, we are engaging in the following activities to spark subject matter and connections for additional footage, including interviews:
  • Tucson-based print studio Spina/Novoa is producing a Desert Dispatch color Riso zine.
  • Desert Dispatch is gathering an online library from community-contributed footage.
  • Our allies at the No Desert Data Center Coalition are screening a 10-15 min Desert Dispatch catalyst video as a conversation starter at assemblies with panel discussions in Tucson AZ, October 23-28, 2026. Desert Dispatch will work with regional community groups to host additional sister-assemblies, with the video made available for screening at the regional groups’ discretion. Groups will be given previews of the video beforehand.
  • Kairand Bellinger is the Impact Production Facilitator for regional sister-assemblies. The catalyst video media artist is Jodi Darby. The score musicians are Sage Bond and Kevin Van Winkle.

Why We’re Doing It

AI policies that put hardware, expansion, and profit before people are disastrous for working-class and rural communities and Native Nations. The AI crisis is also giving rise to a rapid, autocratic consolidation of power, and makes the region a very high value target for military strikes and terrorism. It is not widely known that the United States’ economic chokezone and domestic epicenter of threats from the uncontrolled AI buildout is the Southwest— due to the deserts’ confluence of geography, militarization, technology, mineral resources, and legacy harm. We are working to increase awareness of this crisis and to make connections between allied regional groups.

Vision

Desert Dispatch is a project of the Desert Advocacy Media Network, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and is being undertaken by a collaborative of artists, producers, community members, and supporting organizations. We are uplifting public dialogue and resources for unified power in the hands of all peoples, to respond more effectively to autocratic tendencies emerging through inhumane incentives related to technology, now and into the future.

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