Sam plans virtual session for women on data center fights

Sam will host a July 30 virtual event with civic engagement expert Maggie Doucette to help women speak out on data center development and other public issues. The session comes as public opposition to data centers grows over environmental and quality-of-life concerns, and free registration is open now.

Why it matters: - Data center proposals are becoming a local flashpoint, with communities weighing jobs and infrastructure against environmental and quality-of-life concerns. - Sam is targeting women as a key civic force, saying the session is meant to help them organize, navigate local bureaucracy, and mobilize neighborhood action. - The event is free and limited in registration, which could make it a quick-entry resource for residents who want to get involved.

What happened: - Sam, The Support Platform for Women, announced a virtual event for Thursday, July 30, 2026, focused on data center development and other public issues. - The event is called “When Big Decisions Come to Town” and will be led with civic engagement and public policy expert Maggie Doucette. - Registration is open at More information. - A second registration link directs users to the full event page.

The details: - Sam said the session will cover five ways to amplify a voice and mobilize community engagement. - The company will offer the programming in multiple formats, including informational webinars, on-demand group sessions and 1:1 private coaching. - Women can request group support sessions for neighborhoods or communities through the Sam platform. - Women can also schedule 1:1 time with Maggie through the platform. - Sam said the webinar is intended to help attendees learn more about what the July 30 session will cover. - Founder and CEO Abby Nydam said women are pushing back against large data centers proposed near their communities and need help understanding local decision-making. - Doucette said women often notice changes in schools, neighborhoods, public health, local services and environmental quality before others do. - Doucette has more than 15 years of experience in government, advocacy and civic engagement. - Doucette’s background includes policy and communications work in the New Jersey Legislature and Washington, D.C. - Doucette has also worked with nonprofits on resident-led state and local advocacy campaigns. - Doucette holds a master’s degree in public policy. - Sam says the expert specializes in turning complex civic challenges into practical steps toward change.

Between the lines: - The timing suggests Sam is trying to turn broad frustration over data center growth into organized local participation. - The messaging pairs a technical land-use issue with a women-centered civic engagement strategy, which could widen the audience beyond traditional policy activists. - The release leans on polling and participation data to argue that women may be especially effective advocates in community disputes. - A March 2026 Gallup poll found seven in 10 Americans oppose data center construction because of environmental and quality-of-life concerns. - The same poll found 55% of women are more likely than men, at 43%, to register strong opposition to data center construction. - The release also points to studies showing women volunteer more time in their communities than men and have higher voter turnout. - Brockovich Data Center Reporting counted 41 proposed data centers and 68 under construction as of June 24, 2026.

What's next: - Sam says women can use the July 30 webinar to decide whether to join group support sessions or book private coaching. - The company is also offering a free personalized dashboard at wearesam.co. - Sam says additional support areas on the platform include career, financial, eldercare and caregiving, grief, mindset and habits, civic and community engagement, and relationships and sex. - The event is positioned as a first step for residents who want to respond to data center proposals in their own communities.

The bottom line: - Sam is turning data center opposition into a women-focused civic engagement service, betting that local organizing will shape how these projects are debated in 2026.