Movement Work
Zakia M. Elliott is Co-Director of Soil Generation, a Black & Brown grassroots agroecology collective of women farmers and organizers working for food and land justice in Philadelphia.
Within a triad co-directorship with two Black and Brown women, Zakia practices shared leadership to co-create theory, analysis, and visions of Soil Generation: weaving lessons from the past, intentional action in the present, and envisioning radical and revolutionary futures.
Zakia is grounded in her studies of feminist and womanist theory and resilience in movements, in her healing practices, and in her roots in environmental and climate justice.
Zakia is also known for her past work organizing the Philadelphia Climate Works Coalition. In that role, she bridged the intersecting needs of environmental, community-based, and labor union organizations, by advocating for housing repairs and energy justice for residents, transportation equity and sustainable transit investments, and justice for sanitation workers and other workforces that are underappreciated and heavily impacted by pollution and health inequities. Her work spanned coalition-building, campaign planning, community engagement, cross sector relationship building, policy reform, and public education.
With Soil Generation, she continues to deepen her practices of land-based spirituality, artistic expression, and as a witness to life as a gardener. She presently represents SG on the Climate Justice Alliance’s Black Caucus, and also serves on the Board of Philadelphia Jobs with Justice, and the Women in Natural Sciences (WINS) Alumnae Advisory Board. Her work was recognized by her peers as the 2022 Sustain PHL recipient of the Sustainability Next Gen Award and the 2022 Women In Natural Sciences Distinguished Alumnae Award.