Elijah McKenzie-Jackson (born 28 December 2003) is a visual

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...

focused on common themes of

climate justice Climate justice is a concept that addresses the just division, fair sharing, and equitable distribution of the burdens of climate change and its mitigation and responsibilities to deal with climate change. "Justice", "fairness", and "equity" ar ...

, based in London and New York City, known for noting intersectional themes; for example indigenous rights. McKenzie-Jackson is co-founder at Waic Up, an organizer of Youth Strike for Climate, and is a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador. He is one of the organizers who started Fridays for Future UK, in February 2019. McKenzie-Jackson, since the age of 15, has used art as a form of protest as well as organized climate protests across Europe and South America and has spoken at the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the House of Lords, EU Parliament, outside the G7 Conference and in the Amazonian Rainforest.

Early life and education

McKenzie-Jackson born in Walthamthow, London, lives with his maternal grandmother, Jean Young. 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”. McKenzie-Jackson was inspired to merge environmental activism and when he first heard about climate change in his school, Woodbridge High School, through doing research and watching documentaries.

"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.

McKenzie-Jackson studied Fine Art and Sociology in New York City since 2022.

Work

McKenzie-Jackson, in 2023, has been known for his Art focusing on Climate Change as well his commentary on societal issues like the divestment away from fossil fuels. He is the Founder and Head Artist of the civci art innovation: EMJ Earth, where all his art is published.

“In my work, I craft large-scale art installations, paint murals, and curate exhibits that vividly depict the impacts of the climate emergency.”

Mckenzie-Jackson, first public launch of art, early 2019, was with a photo series named “How would you feel?” A self portrait series of intimidated wildlife affected by humanity. This series was a starting point for McKenzie-Jackson’s career and landed a double spread in GQ, at age 15. McKenzie-Jackson released his first NFT collection, depicting three pictures of clowns. The collection "The Mockery of Money Behind Destruction" aimed to increase public awareness of how the oil industry's revenues are used to fuel the global warming issue. In 2023, Mckenzie-Jackson launched a painting named: “I <3 Paris” This painting addressed issues of climate change and the

Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement (french: Accord de Paris), often referred to as the Paris Accords or the Paris Climate Accords, is an international treaty on climate change. Adopted in 2015, the agreement covers climate change mitigation, Climate change a ...

Political and social themes

McKenzie-Jackson is internationally known for playing a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement. McKenzie-Jackson is a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador for Sustainable Develop Goals 13 & 14. He served as coordinator at UK Student Climate Network and an organizer at the Stop Trump Coalition. Elijah McKenzie-Jackson- Liar Liar Earth On Fire

Elijah McKenzie-Jackson- Liar Liar Earth On Fire

McKenzie-Jackson first started climate striking on February 15, 2019, in Parliament Square, London. On 20 September 2019, alongside UK Student Climate Network, he managed to break England's national record for the biggest environmental protest with over 100,000 demonstrators in attendance.

Voyage to Brazilian Amazon Rainforest

In November 2019, McKenzie-Jackson went on an expedition into the Amazonian rainforest, where he learned about social and

environmental injustice Environmental racism or ecological apartheid is a form of institutional racism leading to landfills, incinerators, and hazardous waste disposal being disproportionally placed in communities of colour. Internationally, it is also associated with ...

and he met with well known activists such as the Pussy Riots and Chief Raoni.

Hunger strike against West Cumbria coal mine

McKenzie-Jackson in February 2020, went on hunger strike over the proposed first deep coal mine in 30 years by UK Government in West Cumbria. McKenzie-Jackson coined the phrase, "won't eat until new coal mine is scrapped". He ended his hunger strike on Day 10 when he was invited into the UK Parliament to speak to politicians about the proposed West Cumbria coal mine. McKenzie-Jackson's 10-day hunger strike triggered actions and protests against the proposed project in Whitehaven. McKenzie-Jackson then, one year later in 2021 started his second 10-day hunger-strike, where he gathered 111,475 petition signatures in collaboration with Coal Action Network in order to appeal Robert Jenrick decision regarding the West Cumbria coal mine.

COP27 Scrutiny on LGBTQ+ Rights

In July 2022, McKenzie-Jackson and his partner,

Jerome Foster II Jerome Foster II (born May 9, 2002) is an American Environmental movement, environmental activist. He is the youngest-ever White House Advisor in United States history, as a member of the Executive Office appointments by Joe Biden#White House ...

, 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 after they started looking into logistics of traveling to Sharm El-Sheikh. As McKenzie-Jackson is an openly-public bisexual figure, him and his partner "might be targeted" according to Guardian News. The letter, which was directed towards UNFCCC Executive-Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, was signed by prominent activists such as Nadya Tolokonnikova, Ahmed Alaa, and

Eric Njuguna Eric Damien Njuguna (born circa 2003) is a climate activist from Kenya. Njuguna started their climate activism in 2017 after severe droughts in Nairobi impacted their school's water supply. by organizing with the group Zero Hour and then Fridays ...

. The couple are calling the UNFCCC non-action a betrayal of the community and “inherent discrimination.” 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.”

Personal life

McKenzie-Jackson has spoken about his clinically diagnosed depression due to

climate grief Ecological grief (or eco-grief), also known as climate grief, refers to the sense of loss that arises from experiencing or learning about environmental destruction or climate change. Environmental grief can be defined as "the grief reaction stemmin ...

. He stated in 2023, that art plays a crital role in the processing of his emotions and that painting is his escape.

"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.”

Mckenzie-Jackson is bisexual ands has been in a public relationship with his partner,

, since 2021.

Filmography

* ''"Whose Future? OUR FUTURE!"'' Documentary, 2019 * "Conscientious Protectors: A Story of Rebellion Against Extinction" Documentary, 2022

Bibliography

* "A Bigger Picture" by Vanessa Nakate; Biography, 2021 * "The Nature of Change" by a coalition of activists; Biography, 2022

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKenzie-Jackson, Elijah 2003 births Living people British climate activists British child activists Bisexual male artists Bisexual painters British child artists English bisexual men English bisexual artists English LGBT painters English male painters People from Walthamstow Political art Political artists Youth climate activists 21st-century English male artists 21st-century English painters 21st-century English LGBT people British LGBT men artists