Jerome Foster II explained

Jerome Foster II
Office:Member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
President:Joe Biden
Term Start:March 29, 2021
Predecessor:Office established
Birth Date:9 May 2002
Birth Place:Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupation:Climate Justice Activist
Partner:Elijah McKenzie-Jackson (2021–present; engaged 2023)
Signature:Jerome Foster II's Signature.png

Jerome Foster II (born May 9, 2002) is an American environmental activist. He is the youngest-ever White House advisor in United States history,[1] [2] as a member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council within the Biden administration.[3] Foster is a leading voice for marginalized and working class communities in spaces pushing for social, economic and environmental justice.[4] Foster is one of the major organizers of Fridays for Future; holding weekly climate strikes at the front gates of the White House for over 57 weeks.[5] He has previously served as a congressional intern for U.S. Representative John Lewis at the age of 16 and served on the Washington DC State Board of Education's Advisory Council at the age of 14.

Foster has helped organize some of the largest climate marches in Washington, D.C.,[6] and has spoken at the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights in April 2019[7] and the United Nations Youth Climate Summit in September 2019. Foster gained international recognition after organizing climate strikes outside the White House and being interviewed by former vice president Al Gore at the Atlanta Climate Reality Leadership Training in March 2019.

Early life

Jerome Foster II was born in Washington, D.C.,[8] on May 9, 2002, by his mother René Foster, and father, Jerome Foster Sr.[9] [10] [11] Foster attended Washington Leadership Academy High School, graduating in June 2020.[2] In 2019, he was selected by the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education to attend Harvard University during his eleventh grade summer.[12] [13] Foster graduated from high school in June 2020[2] and studies computer science at Pace University.[14]

Activism

TAU VR

When Foster was 14 years old, he founded an immersive technology organization, TAU VR, which built virtual reality environments regarding American History, Climate Change, and Latin American Immigration to the United States, and more. In September 2017, TAU VR was featured on XQ Super School Live,[15] which was aired on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX which depicted his story of placing 3rd at the World Series of Entrepreneurship.

The Climate Reporter

Foster, in November 2017, founded The Climate Reporter, an international youth-led climate-focused news outlet that reports.[16] [17]

White House climate strikes

As a part of Greta Thunberg's School Strike for Climate protest, Foster held weekly climate strikes in front of the White House in Lafayette Square.[18] [19] On September 13, 2019, Thunberg as a part of her trans-American voyage to COP 25 in Santiago, Chile joined Foster's White House climate strikes which drew thousands to the site.[20] [21] [22] Through organizing these climate strikes, Foster met Jane Fonda and has gone on to collaborate with Fonda on her Fire Drill Fridays.[23]

OneMillionOfUs

Foster founded OneMillionOfUs in early 2019.[24] [25] [26] Which is an international non-profit youth voting and advocacy organization. It aims to "educate, empower and mobilise a movement of young people to be civically active and engage on the local and global stage through their intersectional youth-focused civic partnerships",[27] OneMillionOfUs has built a large coalition that will provide young people with the tools they need to spur systemic change in their communities, school buildings and political offices.[28] This organization also created a "Uniting Youth Coalition"[29] representing 5 youth social movements: gun violence, climate change, immigration reform, gender equality, and racial equality to have a space on both the local and international level to coordinate events and campaigns between movements.

COP27 Scrutiny on LGBTQ+ Rights

In July 2022, Foster and his partner, Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, co-authored a letter to the UNFCCC[30] to call on the United Nations to move COP27 climate summit[31] due to Egypt's "LGBTQ+ torture, woman slaughter, and civil rights suppression" he says[32] after they started looking into logistics of traveling to Sharm El-Sheikh.[33] As Foster is an openly-public bisexual figure,[34] he and his partner "might be targeted" according to Guardian News.

The letter, which was directed towards UNFCCC Executive-Secretary, Patricia Espinosa,[35] was signed 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."[36] Foster 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."[37]

Politics

District of Columbia State Board of Education

At 15 years old, Foster became the sole student representative serving on the District of Columbia State Board of Education High School Graduation Requirements Task Force, working to modernize high school graduation requirements starting with the class of 2030 across the District.[38]

Congressional internship

At 16 years old, Foster applied to be an intern for U.S. Representative John Lewis, as described in an interview in late 2020.[39] On Fridays during his internship, he held weekly climate rallies at the front gates of the White House as a part of Greta Thunberg's Fridays For Future movement to advocate for the passage of the Climate Change Education Act which would add environmental education as a core subject in all American schools and provide funding for colleges to further research into the climate crisis.[40]

Biden administration

On March 29, 2021, the White House announced that Foster would serve as an advisor on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, providing recommendations on environmental injustice.[41] [42] [43]

Personal life

Foster has been in a relationship with British climate activist Elijah McKenzie-Jackson since 2021.[44] [45] They announced their engagement on June 11, 2023.[46]

Honors and awards

Filmography

!Year!Film/Show Title!Role!Film/Show Genre
2017XQ Super School LiveAs himselfLIVE Event
2020I Am GretaDocumentary
2021Earth Day! The MusicalTV special
2021Hulu's Your Attention Please: Innitiative 29[55] Streaming Series

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021-04-13 . 'I'm hopeful': Jerome Foster, the 18-year-old helping to craft US climate policy . 2023-01-11 . the Guardian . en.
  2. Web site: Jerome Foster II: The Teen White House Advisor Who Speaks Truth to Power . 2023-01-11 . spyscape.com . en.
  3. Web site: Jerome Foster II: Climate activists you should know . 2023-01-11 . Mic . 12 April 2022 . en.
  4. Web site: Newsela Climate and social activist: An interview with Jerome Foster II . 2023-01-11 . newsela.com . en.
  5. Web site: Chaney . Kathy . 2022-01-24 . Meet Teen Climate Hero: Jerome Foster II . 2023-01-11 . YR Media . en.
  6. News: Li . Ang . 14 March 2019 . 'It Will Be Too Late for My Generation.' Meet the Young People Organizing a Massive Climate Change Protest . TIME Magazine .
  7. Web site: Jerome Foster II . 2023-01-11 . Global Citizen Year . en-US.
  8. Web site: 30 January. Smith-Janssen. 2020 Karen L.. He's Leading D.C.'s Movement for Climate Action—and He's a High School Senior. 2020-02-03. NRDC. en.
  9. News: Teenage climate activist Jerome Foster is in a race against time – and adults . The Washington Post .
  10. JeromeFosterII . 1258865984368267265 . 8 May 2020 . I am so excited be 18 years old tomorrow. That means I will be vote in this November Presidential Election!.
  11. Web site: 2019-10-18. Planning protests, not prom: Inside today's youth climate strike movement. 2020-02-03. Earth Day. en.
  12. Web site: Jerome Foster II. 2020-03-24. earthoptimism.si.edu. en. 19 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200919102504/https://earthoptimism.si.edu/2020-summit/speakers/jerome-foster-ii/. dead.
  13. Web site: Jerome Foster II, The American Greta Thunberg. 30 January 2020 . 2020-03-24. The Green Market Oracle.
  14. JeromeFosterII. 1283162195526930437. July 14, 2020. I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL!!
    I am incredibly excited to have graduated AND even prouder to be a part of the Class 2020, forever marked as a class of resiliency. We didn't get a proper prom or graduation but we still graduated together as peers. #ClassOf2020.
  15. XQ Super School Live Jerome Foster II. en. 2020-03-23.
  16. Web site: Global Climate Strike: 5 Youth Activists Who Are Leading the Charge on Climate Action . 17 September 2019 . 2020-03-06 . Rainforest Alliance . en.
  17. Web site: Hansen . Terri . 2019-09-20 . Four Climate Scientists on How to Take on Climate Change Today . 2020-03-06 . NationofChange . en-US.
  18. Web site: Rodriguez/ABC7. Ashlie. 2020-03-06. DC HS student has held climate change rally in front of White House for 57 weeks in a row. 2020-03-23. WJLA.
  19. Web site: First-Arai . Leanna . May 24, 2019 . This 16-Year-Old Is Taking the School Climate Strike to the U.S. Capitol . 2020-02-03 . Yes! Magazine . en-US.
  20. News: Harvey . Fiona . Fiona Harvey . 2019-11-01 . Madrid to host UN climate summit after Chile pulls out . 2020-03-23 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  21. Web site: Kelsey Juliana v. U.S.: Meet the Young Woman Suing the Federal Government over the Climate Crisis. 2020-03-23. Democracy Now!. en.
  22. Web site: 2019-09-13. "Our future is a right". Youth climate activists strike outside White House. 2020-03-24. Earth Day. en.
  23. Web site: 2020-06-05 . 50 Years of Fighting: Jane Fonda talks activism with rising star Jerome Foster II . 2022-03-22 . Fix . en-us.
  24. Web site: OneMillionOfUs. 2020-02-03. C-SPAN.
  25. Web site: 2019-06-14. 19 youth climate activists you should be following on social media. 2020-02-03. Earth Day. en.
  26. Web site: Jerome Foster. 2020-02-03. C-SPAN.
  27. Web site: 2022-05-11 . How Youth Climate Activist Jerome Foster II Became the Voice for One Million Young People . 2023-01-11 . Rethink Together . en-US.
  28. McKibben. Bill. OneMillionOfUs' Plan to Revolutionize the Youth Vote in America. 2020-03-24. The New Yorker. en.
  29. McKibben. Bill. What Can the Coronavirus Teach Us?. 2020-03-06. The New Yorker. en.
  30. Web site: Boudreau . Catherine . Youth activist Jerome Foster is skipping the UN's climate conference in Egypt because of the country's record on LGBTQ rights . 2023-01-11 . Business Insider . en-US.
  31. Web site: Atmos . 2022-08-03 . The Dangers of a COP27 in Egypt . 2023-01-11 . Atmos . en.
  32. Web site: 2022-07-15 . UN urged to move Cop27 from Egypt over 'LGBTQ+ torture' . 2022-08-12 . the Guardian . en.
  33. Web site: 2022-08-03 . The Dangers of a COP27 in Egypt . 2022-08-12 . Atmos . en.
  34. Web site: 2022-02-14 . Finding Love in the Apocalypse . 2022-08-12 . Atmos . en.
  35. Web site: Nexus . Climate . 2022-08-11 . COP27 in Egypt Subjects LGBTQIA+ Climate Activists to Human Rights Abuses . 2023-01-11 . EcoWatch . en-US.
  36. Web site: 2022-08-11 . COP27 in Egypt Subjects LGBTQIA+ Climate Activists to Human Rights Abuses . 2022-08-12 . EcoWatch . en-US.
  37. Web site: 2022-11-07 . Why Cop27 Has Already Let Us Down . 2023-01-11 . British Vogue . en-GB.
  38. Web site: Rethinking the District's High School Graduation Requirements sboe. 2021-05-07. sboe.dc.gov.
  39. Web site: Meredith. Karenna. 2020-08-20. Activist Jerome Foster II Shares the Valuable Lessons Congressman John Lewis Taught Him. 2021-02-23. POPSUGAR News. en-US.
  40. Web site: Dingell. Debbie. 2019-04-23. H.R.2349 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Climate Change Education Act. 2021-02-23. www.congress.gov.
  41. Web site: White House Announces Environmental Justice Advisory Council Members . The White House . 26 April 2021 . 29 March 2021.
  42. News: 13 April 2021. 'I'm hopeful': Jerome Foster, the 18-year-old helping to craft US climate policy. en. the Guardian.
  43. Web site: 2021-03-29. White House Announces Environmental Justice Advisory Council Members. 2021-04-15. The White House. en-US.
  44. News: 14 February 2022 . Finding Love in the Apocalypse . en . Atmos . 5 April 2022.
  45. Web site: 2022-08-12 . Exclusive – Jerome Foster and Elijah McKenzie-Jackson talk intersectional activism . 2023-01-11 . Thred Website . en-GB.
  46. Web site: Jerome Foster II on LinkedIn: Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, I love you to the stars and back!! . 2023-06-12 . www.linkedin.com . en.
  47. Web site: Alumni. World Series of Entrepreneurship Changing the Trajectory of Lives. en-US. 2020-03-20.
  48. Web site: Jerome Foster Rethinking the District's High School Graduation Requirements . D.C. State Board of Education . 2020-03-20.
  49. Web site: 2019 UCS Science Defenders . Union of Concerned Scientists . en. 2020-03-20.
  50. Web site: Jerome Foster II 2020 Youth Environmental Champion. en-US. 2020-03-20. 20 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200320043435/https://anshome.org/2020/02/jerome-foster-ii-2/. dead.
  51. Web site: Jerome Foster II Grist 50: 2020: Celebrating 5 Years of Fixers. Grist. en. 2020-03-20.
  52. Web site: Young Futurists 2020: America Needs Leaders Now More Than Ever. Here Are 25 Who Are Already About That Life. The Root. 15 April 2020 . en-us. 2020-04-17.
  53. Web site: Chuba . Kirsten . 2022-01-10 . Jane Fonda, Bill Nye to Be Honored at Captain Planet Foundation Gala . 2022-03-22 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  54. Web site: Climate Action 30: Top global leaders working toward climate solutions . 2023-01-11 . businessinsider.com.
  55. Web site: Your Attention Please . 2022-08-12 . Hulu . en-US.
  56. Book: Nakate, Vanessa . A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis . 2021-11-02 . Houghton Mifflin Harcourt . 978-0-358-65450-6 . en.
  57. Web site: Voting rights advocate Jerome Foster is raising youth climate awareness Greenbiz . 2023-01-11 . www.greenbiz.com . en.
  58. Web site: Stone Soup for a Sustainable World . 2022-08-12 . Stone Soup for a Sustainable World . en-US.
  59. Web site: Amara and the Bats . 2023-01-11 . BookBairn.
  60. Web site: Musselman . Sean . 2021-09-30 . Amara and the Bats . 2023-01-11 . Teachers Books Readers . en-US.
  61. Web site: Amara and the Bats . 2023-01-11 . Project Learning Tree . en-US.
  62. Web site: Noble . Barnes & . Amara and the BatsHardcover . 2023-01-11 . Barnes & Noble . en.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Jerome Foster II".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.