User:Dominikudesu/sandbox/Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson

= Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson =

Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson, age 16 is a student and British environmental activist commonly known to be a youth leader in the Fridays for future movement.

Early Activism
Elijah first started his activism in April 2019 when he campaigned illegally outside Heathrow Airport with a group called Extinction Rebellion. This was to stop the planned airport expansion which has now been successfully cancelled.

Activism
Elijah is commonly known for being a part-time volunteer for Friday for future International since March 2019 and plays a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement.

He went on an expedition into the Amazon rainforest where he learnt about social and environmental injustice and met with well known activists such as the Pussy Riots and Chief Raoni to discuss the future safeguarding of the Amazon Rainforest. Elijah especially connected with activist Anita Juruna, an 18-year-old Brazilian indigenous leader. Language was not a barrier for Elijah and Anita. During the week they were together, they were seen together communicating through gestures and drawings about the different situations and struggles that they face.

He went on a hunger strike in February 2020 over a proposed coal mine in West Cumbria where he stated he ‘would not eat until the proposed mine’ was ‘scrapped’. He ended his hunger strike on Day 10 when he got invited into parliament to speak to Politician’s about this mine. His 10 hunger strike got political attention and triggered actions/protests against the proposed Coal mine in Whitehaven.

Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson has also signed an open letter to European Union leaders on why protesters thought that the new climate law was not ambitions enough. Elijah along with 50 young activists from 7 countries took the first ever civil action in the European Parliament.

Controversy
Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson gained a lot of criticism for his hunger strike online.

Key Media
Article with The Guardian on Elijah's Trip into the Amazon

Interview with The New York Times on being a youth leader

Article on The Metro on Elijah’s Hunger strike

Article with The Independent on the Heathrow Airport protest