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Van Jones

Host, 'The Messy Truth with Van Jones'

Van Jones is a social entrepreneur, CNN political contributor and host of The Messy Truth with Van Jones. Famous for his heart-felt election night coverage, Jones showed up as “the voice of reason” for people in red states and blue throughout the volatile 2016 political season. In response to much civil unrest and energy post-election, Jones launched the #Love Army -- a values-based movement that is working for an America where everyone counts.

Jones has founded and led numerous social enterprises engaged in social and environmental justice, including The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change, and The Dream Corps.

Jones is a Yale-educated attorney. He is the author of two New York Times best-selling books, The Green Collar Economy (2008) and Rebuild the Dream (2012). The second book chronicles his journey as an environmental and human rights activist to becoming a White House policy advisor.

He was the main advocate for the Green Jobs Act. Signed into law by George W. Bush in 2007, the Green Jobs Act was the first piece of federal legislation to codify the term “green jobs.” During the Obama Administration, the legislation has resulted in $500 million in national funding for green jobs training.

In 2009, Jones worked as the green jobs advisor to President Barack Obama. In this role, Jones helped to lead the inter-agency process that oversaw the multi-billion dollar investment in skills training and jobs development within the environmental and green energy sectors.

Jones has been honored with numerous awards and spotlighted on several lists of high achievers, including: the World Economic Forum’s “Young Global Leader” designation; Rolling Stone’s 2012 “12 Leaders Who Get Things Done”; TIME’s 2009 “100 Most Influential People in The World”; and the Root's 2014 "The Root 100." In 2017, Van Jones signed a management deal with Roc Nation, becoming the first political commentator & activist in their family. Jones lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife & two children.

Why the 14th Amendment is one of history’s most radical ideas

In 1868, equal protection under the law was granted to every born and naturalized U.S. citizen—no exceptions. That’s radical, says Van Jones.

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Empathy, bigotry, and the tolerance paradox: Can America solve its social impasse?

There are a lot of tough conversations that stand between where America is now and “liberty and justice for all,” says Van Jones.

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This Thanksgiving, Disagree Politically without Disrespecting Each Other

The amount of political disagreement in the nation is matched only by righteous indignation. But in order to disagree without disrespecting each other, we need to look hard at our own positions.

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Divide and Conquer: The Bipartisan Plan to Break America

Both Republicans and Democrats blame the poor on each side, creating a terrible dissonance in our politics and in our nation’s psyche.

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What’s the Problem with the Individual Mandate?

Insurance is what you buy when you don’t know if something bad is going to happen. Maybe I’ll crash my car. Maybe I won’t. I don’t know. So I’m going […]

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What it Means to Defend America

We have a responsibility to defend the America that we inherited and to make sure that people calling themselves patriots don’t smash it down.

Energy to an Economy is Like Oxygen to the Human Body

The Chinese smart priority on diversifying their energy portfolio and creating jobs is something that we should match them on, again.

The Outlook for Solar for 2013

You should not pull the plug on an emerging technology just because it’s Tuesday at noon and you’re frustrated.

Conservatives: Put Down the Red, White & Blue Wrecking Ball

What should Democrats compromise on this year? Absolutely nothing, says Van Jones.

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Rebuild the Dream: Van Jones is Back, And More Relevant Than Ever

Van Jones told The New York Times that Glenn Beck pushed him out of a job and his advocacy organization pushed Beck out of one. “Now we’re both irrelevant!” he […]

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Van Jones on Greening the Nation

Putting people to work in green-collar infrastructural jobs can buoy the economy and provide relief to homeowners, says Van Jones.

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Van Jones on Public Service

Since watching the Kennedys and MLK as a child, Van Jones has always wanted to make a contribution.

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Van Jones on Profiting From a Green Economy

A green economy must be good for low-income Americans, not just the eco- elite, according to Van Jones.

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Van Jones on Personalizing Green

It may take some time, but according to Van Jones, people will understand the importance of a secure, green economy.

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Van Jones on Ending Oil Dependency

Van Jones on the future of clean energy.

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Van Jones on Government’s Role in the Green Economy

Van Jones is all for markets, but the government must make the rules.

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Van Jones on a Green Economy

In order to beat global warming, we’re going to have to deploy millions of green workers across the country says Van Jones.

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Van Jones on Green For All

Van Jones is the president of Green For All, a national organization that is dedicated towards the creation of green-collar jobs.

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Van Jones on Technology and the Environment

The President of Green For All talks about helping the environment, and reaching the service-minded “Millennial Generation” through the use of technology and the Internet. This series brought to you […]

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