Copyright: Mitchell Joyce

• Former Northeast Regional Director for the High School Caucus of the “Young Democrats of America”
• Former Northeast Regional Organizer for the “Student Peace Alliance”

Elijah Nathaniel Sharma was born on February 7, 1991 in a small town in Central New York State. Elijah attended private school until moving to the Capital Region of New York during his last year of elementary school.

During his time at Farnsworth Middle School of the Guilderland Central School District in the Capital Region of New York State Elijah Sharma began his passion for activism and community involvement at a young age. Being elected vice president of student government in the 6th grade, and serving as a representative for all three years of middle school he began to build his leadership abilities. Elijah also began building his own awareness and concern for the treatment of animals. Beginning a Vegetarian diet and lifestyle which would eventually grow into a strict Vegan diet and lifestyle and leading into years of activism on behalf of animals.

In Elijah’s freshmen year at Guilderland High School he began the headline grabbing high school group “Last Chance for Animals GHS” along with a longtime friend. While working with “Last Chance for Animals GHS” Elijah helped to raise thousands of dollars for various animal charities both on a local and national level. His work with “Last Chance for Animals GHS” garnished him interviews and friendships with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) among other groups including Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and Friends of Animals. Elijah Sharma was the recipient of the Start Street Teamer award by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ youth division, peta2.

• Interviewed for book authored for the “American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals” (ASPCA)
• Featured along with his former high school organization “Last Chance for Animals GHS” by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
• Honored by “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals”
• Public Relations Director for Albany, New York area group “Caring Friends of Animals”

To keep in shape Elijah earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Elijah Sharma has been active and passionate in the fight for human rights. Being a member and eventually vice president of his high school’s official chapter of “Amnesty International USA”, Elijah Sharma has worked on numerous awareness and fund raising campaigns including stop violence against women, stop the genocide in Darfur, and protecting religious freedoms in nations around the world. Elijah Sharma has been involved in numerous letting writing campaigns and has helped to organize events such as soup houses for human rights.

• Serves as Vice president of his high school’s chapter of “Amnesty International USA”
• Active member of “Amnesty International USA”

Elijah Sharma, an unapologetic supporter of civil rights began lobbying his middle school to be more aware and respectful of the rights of students after noticing a diminished level of concern for the rights of students. Elijah Sharma began working with the “American Civil Liberties Union” (ACLU) at a young age and continued to support and work with them in high school years. Elijah Sharma has acted as a watchdog for student’s civil rights over the years and has worked to expand students rights to abstain from animal dissection, rights to express themselves, rights to distribute and post information, and the right to organize student groups. Elijah’s activism has allowed him to work with some great people and has even recently been interviewed about his views concerning a proposed age based city curfew in Albany, New York. Elijah has even gone to the extent of legally pressuring his school district into changing school wide policy concerning the rights of students on numerous occasions. Elijah has also engaged in successful negotiations with the Guilderland Board of Education, administration, and curriculum creators in regards to preserving the rights of students.

• Active member of the “American Civil Liberties Union” (ACLU)
• Active member of the “National Association for the Advancement of Colored People” (NAACP)
• Certified “National Coalition Building Institute” (NCBI) trainer
• Former Northeast Regional Organizer for the Student Peace Alliance (SPA)

Elijah Sharma was thrust into media spotlight one evening in the early Summer of 2008 when he refused to be silenced at a  Central School District Board of Education meeting. Elijah has stayed active in the fight for forcefully and unfairly transferred educators and friends Mrs. McManus and Mr. Nelligan of the Guilderland Central School District. Elijah Sharma co-founded and helps to lead “United for McManus and Nelligan” and has set up and runs www.notbackingdown.com which has received thousands of unique visitors in a matter of a day.

• Co-founder of “United for McManus and Nelligan”
• Founder of www.notbackingdown.com

Elijah Sharma’s passion for activism and hope for change has inspired him to be involved in and participate in many forms of public demonstrations. From organizing a candle light vigil for homeless animals, to rallying hundreds of community members at school board meetings, to participating in Get on the Bus Day in which thousands of activists pour into Manhattan and demonstrated for human rights at numerous foreign embassies, Elijah has grown to become more experienced in how to raise awareness for many issues.

Elijah Sharma has been intensely active in local, state, and national politics. Elijah has donated resources such as money and time to various campaigns, organizations, and political action committees seeking to create positive and progressive change in the United States of America and beyond. Elijah is a proud and active supporter of the Democratic Party in the United States of America and holds a national position in the “Young Democrats of America”.

• Former Northeast Regional Director for the High School Caucus of the “Young Democrats of America”
• Volunteered for the Hillary Clinton Senatorial and Presidential Campaigns
• Volunteered for the Barrack Obama Presidential Campaign
• Volunteered for the Paul Tonko Congressional Campaign
• Volunteered for the David Soares District Attorney Campaign

Elijah Sharma has had extensive experience with various forms of media over the years. Elijah has been interviewed for countless print, radio, and television media outlets.

• Cover shot of Albany, New York “Metroland”
• Featured in “Animal Times” magazine
• Numerous appearances on and television interviews with four Eastern New York/Western New England channels
• Photograph appears alongside cover story of the “Times Union”
• Numerous appearances in the “Altamont Enterprise” including an appearance on the cover
• Radio interviews on various  radio talk shows
• Appearance on television show “Capital Outsider”

Elijah Nathanial Sharma is currently in his second semester at Hudson Valley Community College pursuing a four year degree in Political Science from SUNY Albany. He resides in Altamont, New York.