Exclusive – Jerome Foster and Elijah McKenzie-Jackson talk intersectional activism

‘Jerome does so much work for free. Because [POC activists] are scared, they take up these positions, but that shouldn’t mean they are then tokenised.’

It’s a sentiment echoed by Jerome, who explains that while the situation – and discourse – has indeed improved, he still too often encounters moments of not only tokenisation (where he is regarded as an ‘asset,’ a ‘photo opportunity’) but prejudice, too.

‘Even though I am an advisor who gives recommendations, the struggle has been still having to yell in meetings, to raise my voice,’ he says, with Elijah adding: ‘a Black, Muslim woman wouldn’t feel as empowered as a white male because they have to scream when the latter only has to whisper. It’s so unfair because what matters most at the end of the day is the selfless work people are doing, not who they are or where they’re from.’

Fortunately, this hasn’t deterred neither Jerome nor Elijah from their battle against injustice, primarily because they share the same mindset that frustration equals power.

That channelling our emotions into constructive agency will ignite our sense of purpose further.

‘If you aren’t passionate, it won’t fuel people’s desire to get involved,’ says Elijah.

‘We need to be inciting a combination of the facts (to bolster recognition of the severity of what’s going on) with tangible methods of action so they step up and don’t shut down.’

This translates continent-wide in both the US and the UK, where people pressure driven from disappointment towards the snail’s pace of progress is, according to Jerome and Elijah, the most successful way to augment public engagement and instigate change.

‘I publicly believe we have to be radical in order to be the change we want to see,’ says Elijah.

‘This can be anything from organised protests, to sit-ins, to getting creative. There are no limits. All avenues are impactful because they are the amalgamation of everyone coming together.’

Speaking of creativity, Elijah – who is in the process of writing a children’s book designed to guide young people through their journey to activism – considers innovative outlets as effective nowadays as taking to the streets.

In a world oversaturated by demonstrations (which he stresses remain undoubtedly beneficial), he argues there ought to be more appreciation of individual strengths, passions, and skillsets in the fight for a secure future.

‘Don’t get me wrong, protests are the foundation of activism and are essential because they draw attention, but we need more creative solutions,’ he says.

‘In addition, we should be viewing activism as a circle. It can be top-down, bottom-up, and in between. Everything works together in tandem to bring about the change we’re looking for. There are so many facets, we need to be covering all bases, not just sticking to one display of indignation all the time.’

And where better to present creative solutions than through social media?

As Elijah explains, in an era where everyone with the privilege of accessing these platforms is able to express themselves without jumping through hoops, educating others has never been easier.

 

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Whether that be with music, photography, illustration, or poetry – to name a few.

Jerome, on the other hand (though of course in support of Elijah’s tactics), has adopted a more technical attitude in the realm of upscaling Gen Z activism.

‘As young people, we don’t just exist, we spend money,’ he says.

‘And where we choose to do this has a significant impact because corporations and politicians are at the heart of it. What we’re inching towards is a movement that ensures we be mindful of what we spend so it instinctively drives businesses out of business if they are continuing to uphold unethical practices that contribute further to the climate crisis.’

As imperative as introducing new forms of activism and strengthening those already in existence is, however, nothing matters as much as protecting the mental health of a generation overwhelmed by helplessness amid environmental collapse.

To combat this, Jerome and Elijah have three approaches they recommend.

The first, to find a place in activism, to seek out where our capacity lies, and to understand that every single voice has the potential to flip the catastrophe on its head.

For Jerome, this involves shifting the focus from the all-encompassing problem at hand to thinking about how we can alleviate confusion in specific systems we want to change.

 

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‘When I am completely exhausted I remind myself that the weight of this does not fall on my shoulders alone,’ he says. ‘We are united in this mission, and that’s liberating.’

The second, which embodies the duo’s joint ethos, is to acknowledge the power of community.

‘This isn’t just a movement, it’s a coping mechanism’ says Elijah.

‘We have friends in this sphere, people we call family that help lift us up. It’s not just about constantly worrying about the future; it’s about focusing on the now and the connections you make.’

And the third, to trust in the immeasurable influence of a demographic whose age refuses to stop them from inspiring their peers to dispute absolutely anything they oppose.

‘Being young means you haven’t been conditioned to fear asking why,’ says Elijah.

‘We aren’t going to agree just for the sake of it. We can still raise questions, scrutinise things with a fresh perspective. We care about action that doesn’t prolong the lines of oppression and historic traditions that are causing the world to fail.’

‘It’s the reason young people are so integral to this fight. Because we don’t want this for our future, we won’t accept it. It’s time to step up and get everyone involved in the ways that work best for them.’