Elijah McKenzie-Jackson
Elijah McKenzie-Jackson (born 28 December 2003)[2] is a civic artist[3] and climate justice activist, based in London and New York City, known for speaking regarding animal liberation and indigenous rights.[4][5] McKenzie-Jackson is co-founder at Waic Up,[6] an organizer of Youth Strike for Climate, Extinction Rebellion Youth, and is a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador.[7] He is one of the organizers of Fridays for Future UK; starting in February 2019.
Elijah McKenzie-Jackson | |
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![]() McKenzie-Jackson, in 2022 | |
Born | London, United Kingdom | 28 December 2003
Nationality | British |
Occupations |
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Organization | Waic Up Institute |
Known for | Participation in the School Strike for Climate |
Partner | Jerome Foster II (2021–present)[1] |
Website | https://www.elijahmckenziejackson.com https://www.emj.earth |
Signature | |
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McKenzie-Jackson has organized climate protests across Europe and South America and has spoken at the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the House of Lords, EU Parliament,[8][9][10][11][12] outside the G7 Conference[13] and in the Amazonian Rainforest.[14] He gained international recognition after participating in an act of civil-disobedience outside Heathrow Airport[15] against aviation emissions.
Early life and education
McKenzie-Jackson born in Walthamthow, London, lives with his maternal grandmother, Jean Young, who has also joined McKenzie-Jackson[16] in his environmental activism. McKenzie-Jackson grew up a vegetarian on the grounds of animal welfare, “At 14, I transitioned to veganism, which helped me understand why it can’t just be personal change when fighting the climate crisis”.[17] McKenzie-Jackson was inspired to be an environmental activist when he first heard about climate change in his school, Woodbridge Highschool, through doing research and watching documentaries.[16]
"I learned a tiny bit about climate change in school. I started watching documentaries, doing my own research, and I got very frustrated. I didn't understand why no politicians were acting" - Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, The Guardian.[16]
McKenzie-Jackson took a one-year sabbatical from school and is now scheduled to relocate to the New York City to study Fine Art and Sociology starting Fall 2022.[17]
Art
Mckenzie-Jackson, in 2023, has been known for his Political Art focusing on Climate Change[18] as well as his commentary on societal issues like gun violence in the United States. He is the Founder and Head Artist of the civci art innovation: EMJ Earth,[19] where all his art is published.
'321, ping'
In February 2023, Mckenzie-Jackson unveiled art piece, '321, ping' that challenged the Second Amendment and the culture of gun violence in America. The art piece in question showcases an original spray-painted stencil of 321 broken hearts and a single gun, symbolizing the lives lost to gun violence in the United States on any given day.[20]
"As an artist, I feel it is my duty to use my work to spark conversations and bring attention to important social issues... My goal for this art piece is to encourage people to think critically about the Second Amendment." Said Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson[21]
'321 ping' in April was seen in hotspots across the US through a series of billboards, as well as placards in demonstrations against firearms.[22]
Activism
McKenzie-Jackson is internationally known for playing a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement.[23][24][25] McKenzie-Jackson is a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador for Sustainable Develop Goals 13 & 14.[7] He also is a Youth Advisor for the Resilience Project[26] and Surfers Against Sewage.[27] He served as coordinator at UK Student Climate Network[28] and an organizer at the Stop Trump Coalition.[29][30]
Europe climate strikes
![](../I/Elijah_McKenzie-Jackson-_Liar_Liar_Earth_On_Fire.jpg.webp)
McKenzie-Jackson first started climate striking on February 15, 2019, in Parliament Square, London. In April 2019 McKenzie-Jackson protested outside Heathrow Airport[31] in efforts to stop Heathrow Airport's proposed third runway. He went on to hold climate strikes as a part of Greta Thunberg's School strike for climate movement.
On 20 September 2019, alongside UK Student Climate Network, he managed to break England's national record for the biggest environmental protest [32] with over 100,000 demonstrators in attendance.[33] Elijah is internationally known for playing a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement[23][24][25] however beginning in March 2020 due to the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, McKenzie-Jackson began posting[34] weekly climate strike online.[35][36][37][38]
Voyage to Brazilian Amazon Rainforest
![](../I/Elijah_Mckenzie-Jackson_Amazon.jpg.webp)
In November 2019, McKenzie-Jackson went on an expedition into the Amazonian rainforest,[39] where he learned about social and environmental injustice and he met with well known activists such as the Pussy Riots and Chief Raoni[40] to discuss the future safeguarding of the Amazon Rainforest. McKenzie-Jackson especially connected with activist Anita Juruna,[39] an 18-year-old Brazilian indigenous leader.[41]
Hunger strike against West Cumbria coal mine
McKenzie-Jackson in February 2020, went on hunger strike[42] over the proposed first deep coal mine in 30 years[43] by UK Government in West Cumbria.[44] McKenzie-Jackson coined the phrase, "won’t eat until new coal mine is scrapped".[45] He ended his hunger strike on Day 10[46] when he was invited into the UK Parliament[47] to speak to politicians about the proposed West Cumbria coal mine.[48] McKenzie-Jackson's 10-day hunger strike triggered actions and protests against the proposed project in Whitehaven.[49] McKenzie-Jackson then, one year later in 2021[50] started his second 10-day hunger-strike,[51] where he gathered 111,475 petition signatures[52] in collaboration with Coal Action Network[53] in order to appeal Robert Jenrick decision regarding the West Cumbria coal mine. McKenzie-Jackson later handed the petition into the UK Government[54] which later led to the West Cumbria coal mine being successfully called into the UK Parliament for a public review.[55][56][57]
Mental health
McKenzie-Jackson has spoken about his clinically diagnosed depression due to climate grief.[58]
"With COP26 happening later in the year, I would not say I’m excited about it as it is pretty depressing that young people are essentially forced to organise and lobby for a future. However, I would say I am eager to see real change and action from our so-called leaders. I’d like to see real action, following science, while treating climate change like the crisis it really is.”[59]
COP27 Scrutiny on LGBTQ+ Rights
In July 2022, McKenzie-Jackson and his partner, Jerome Foster II, co-authored a letter to the UNFCCC to call on the United Nations to move COP27 climate summit due to Egypt's "LGBTQ+ torture, woman slaughter, and civil rights suppression" he says[60] after they started looking into logistics of traveling to Sharm El-Sheikh.[61] As McKenzie-Jackson is an openly-public bisexual figure,[62] him and his partner "might be targeted"[60] according to Guardian News.
The letter, which was directed towards UNFCCC Executive-Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, was sign by prominent activists such as Nadya Tolokonnikova, Ahmed Alaa, and Eric Njuguna. The couple are calling the UNFCCC non-action a betrayal of the community and “inherent discrimination.”[63] McKenzie-Jackson emphasized that, “there are better options of countries in Africa that will still include African voices. People shouldn’t be cannon fodder for the climate movement. Cop27 will fail if it’s in Egypt because critical voices will be left out.”
Filmography
Bibliography
- "A Bigger Picture" by Vanessa Nakate; Biography, 2021[66]
- "The Nature of Change" by a coalition of activists; Biography, 2022[67]
References
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- Sengupta, Somini (September 20, 2019). "Meet 8 Youth Protest Leaders". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- "Inspirational Youth Activists Leading Us to a Bright Future". Kidzworld. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- "Exclusive – Jerome Foster and Elijah McKenzie-Jackson talk intersectional activism". Thred Website. August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- "Youthquake 2022: The Activists Shaking Up The World". #TOGETHERBAND. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "50 jonge activisten uit 7 landen hebben eerste burgeractie ooit ondernomen in Europees Parlement". DeWereldMorgen.be. October 17, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
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- "Pierre Larrouturou: "On peut financer la relance sans argent des Etats"". Le Soir (in French). June 1, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
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- "European Call: 3 solutions for climate and jobs". www.euractiv.com. June 2, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- Dazed (June 16, 2021). "How protesters defied the G7 summit with a weekend of civil disobedience". Dazed. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- Oliveira, Joana (December 1, 2019). "En la selva con la 'generación Greta'". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "Teenage climate-change protesters threatened with arrest in video of Heathrow action". The Independent. April 19, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "'Know how to flex on Insta?': grandchildren and grandparents explain the world to each other | Family | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- Carnegie, Megan. "Gen Z: How young people are changing activism". www.bbc.com. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- Desk, Outlook Planet (April 11, 2023). "When Art Focuses On Climate Change". planet.outlookindia.com/. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- Insider, Business. "SPOTLIGHT EVENT: Introducing the optimist's destination for climate action". Business Insider. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
{{cite web}}
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- ". EMJ.EARTH". '. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- "Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson's '321 ping' is an evocative piece about US gun violence". Thred Website. March 24, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- "Millions Of Young People Around The World Are Leading Strikes To Call Attention To The Climate Crisis". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- Street, Nathan. "School striker for climate: join the Trump demo". Counterfire. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- "Finding Love in the Apocalypse". Atmos. February 14, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "Our team". The Resilience Project. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "Youth Ocean & Climate Summit". Youth Ocean & Climate Summit. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "Elijah McKenzie-Jackson: My frustrations turned into action [Climate Generation Talks-10]". Yeşil Gazete (in Turkish). August 23, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "School striker for climate: join the Trump demo". Counterfire. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "Donald Trump's UK visit 'likely to be costliest ever diplomatic trip'". inews.co.uk. May 31, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "Teenage climate-change protesters threatened with arrest in video of Heathrow action". The Independent. April 19, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- "'Enough is enough': biggest-ever climate protest sweeps UK". the Guardian. September 20, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- Feder, Zahra Hirji, Matthew Champion, Azeen Ghorayshi, J. Lester. "Millions Of Young People Around The World Are Leading Strikes To Call Attention To The Climate Crisis". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - "Greta takes climate strikes online in response to virus outbreak". Evening Standard. March 13, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- "Klimaatstakers gaan door, maar dan wel online". Metronieuws.nl (in Dutch). April 3, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
- Gilliver, Liam (March 14, 2020). "Greta Thunberg's Climate Strike Campaign Goes Digital Amid Coronavirus Pandemic". Vegan News, Plant Based Living, Food, Health & more. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- "Greta Thunberg calls for #DigitalStrike amid coronavirus outbreak". Energy Live News. March 13, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- "Climate activists expect more 'concrete' actions from world leaders". The Nation. June 15, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
- Watts, Jonathan (November 15, 2019). "Activists hold climate conference deep in the Amazon rainforest". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- Watts, Jonathan (November 17, 2019). "The Amazon: on the frontline of a global battle to tackle the climate crisis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- Oliveira, Joana (December 2, 2019). "Reportaje | En la selva con la 'generación Greta'". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- "Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, 16, who began his starvation strike exterior the Homes of Parliament on Monday... desires to cease coal manufacturing on the Woodhouse Colliery in Whitehaven, Cumbria. : worldnews". NetUter. February 4, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- Owen, Brodie (October 2, 2020). "Britain to build first new deep coal mine in 30 years". The National. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- "Teenagers Launch Hunger Strikes Against UK Coal Mines". SNA Japan. February 11, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
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- "Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, 16, who started his hunger strike outside the Houses of Parliament on Monday... wants to stop coal production at the Woodhouse Colliery in Whitehaven, Cumbria. : worldnews". The Found News. February 4, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- "'It's a Huge Step Backwards': Teenagers Hunger Striking to Stop the UK's Newest Coal Mine". DeSmog UK. February 12, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
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