Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson

Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson (born 28 December 2003)[2] is a British climate justice activist who is known for speaking passionately regarding animal liberation and indigenous rights.[3][4] McKenzie-Jackson is the founder of the website EMJ.earth, an organizer of Extinction Rebellion Youth, and a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador.[5] He is one of the major organizers of Fridays for Future UK; holding weekly climate strikes since February 2019.

Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson
Born (2003-12-28) 28 December 2003
Walthamthow, London, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
OccupationClimate activist· model
Known forParticipation in the School Strike for Climate
Partner(s)Jerome Foster II (coh. 2021)[1]

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,[6] EU Parliament,[7][8][9][10][11] outside the G7 Conference[12] and in the Amazonian Rainforest.[13] He gained international recognition after participating in an act of civil-disobedience outside Heathrow Airport[14] 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[15] in his environmental activism. McKenzie-Jackson has been 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]

Activism

McKenzie-Jackson is internationally known for playing a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement.[17][18][19] McKenzie-Jackson is a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador for Sustainable Develop Goals 13 & 14.[5] He also is a Youth Advisor for the Resilience Project[20] and Surfers Against Sewage.[21] He served as coordinator at UK Student Climate Network[22] and an organizer at the Stop Trump Coalition.[23][24]

Europe climate strikes
Climate Strike sign text used by Elijah McKenzie-Jackson

McKenzie-Jackson first started climate striking on February 15th 2019 in Parliament Square, London.[25] In April 2019 McKenzie-Jackson protested outside Heathrow Airport[26] 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.[27]

On the 20th September, 2019, along side UK Student Climate Network, he managed to break England's national record for the biggest environmental protest [28] with over 100,000 demonstrators in attendance.[29] Elijah is internationally known for playing a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement[17][18][19] however beginning in March of 2020 due to the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, McKenzie-Jackson began posting[30] weekly climate strike online.[31][32][33][34]

Voyage to Brazilian Amazon Rainforest

In November 2019, McKenzie-Jackson went on an expedition into the Amazonian rainforest,[35] where he learned about social and environmental injustice and he met with well known activists such as the Pussy Riots and Chief Raoni[36] to discuss the future safeguarding of the Amazon Rainforest. McKenzie-Jackson especially connected with activist Anita Juruna,[35] an 18-year-old Brazilian indigenous leader.[37]

Hunger strike against West Cumbria coal mine

McKenzie-Jackson in February 2020, went on hunger strike[38] over the proposed first deep coal mine in 30 years[39] by UK Government in West Cumbria.[40] McKenzie-Jackson coined the phrase, "won’t eat until new coal mine is scrapped".[41] He ended his hunger strike on Day 10[42] when he was invited into the UK Parliament[43] to speak to politicians about the proposed West Cumbria coal mine.[44] McKenzie-Jackson's 10-day hunger strike triggered actions and protests against the proposed project in Whitehaven.[45] McKenzie-Jackson then, one year later in 2021[46] started his second 10-day hunger-strike,[47] where he gathered 111,475 petition signatures[48] in collaboration with Coal Action Network[49] in order to appeal Robert Jenrick decision regarding the West Cumbria coal mine. McKenzie-Jackson later handed the petition into the UK Government[50] which later led to the West Cumbria coal mine being successfully called into the UK Parliament for a public review.[51][52][53]

Mental health

McKenzie-Jackson has spoken about his clinically diagnosed depression due to climate grief.[54]

"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.”[55]

Filmography

Modelling

References
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  2. "We meet... Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson". Envision Virgin Racing. May 26, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  3. Sengupta, Somini (September 20, 2019). "Meet 8 Youth Protest Leaders". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
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