Van Jones facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Van Jones
Jones in 2016
Born	Anthony Kapel Jones (1968-09-20) September 20, 1968 (age 56) Jackson, Tennessee, U.S.
Education	University of Tennessee at Martin (BS) Yale University (JD)
Occupation	News commentator author lawyer
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Jana Carter (m. 2005; div. 2019)

Anthony Kapel "Van" Jones (born September 20, 1968) is an American political expert, TV personality, lawyer, and author. He is also a strong supporter of civil rights. Jones has written three books that became New York Times bestsellers. He is a host and contributor for CNN and has won an Emmy Award.

In 2009, Jones worked as President Barack Obama's Special Advisor for Green Jobs. He was also a special visiting fellow at Princeton University. Jones started or helped start several non-profit groups. These include the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change, and the Dream Corps. The Dream Corps helps social justice projects. It runs three main programs: Dream Corps Justice, Dream Corps Tech, and Green for All.

Jones has hosted or co-hosted several shows on CNN. These include Crossfire, The Messy Truth, The Van Jones Show, and The Redemption Project with Van Jones. He wrote the book The Green Collar Economy. He also co-founded Magic Labs Media LLC. This company produced the WEBBY Award-winning Messy Truth digital series. It also made the Emmy Award-winning The Messy Truth VR Experience with Van Jones. He often shares his political views as a commentator on CNN.

Jones used to be the CEO of the REFORM Alliance. This group was started by Jay-Z and Meek Mill. Its goal is to improve the criminal justice system. He was also a long-time friend and advisor to the musician Prince.

Early Life and Education

Anthony Kapel Jones and his twin sister Angela were born on September 20, 1968. They grew up in Jackson, Tennessee. Their mother, Loretta Jean, was a high school teacher. Their father, Willie Anthony Jones, was a middle school principal. His sister said that as a child, he was "the stereotypical geek." Jones himself said he was "bookish and bizarre." His grandfather was a leader in his church. Jones sometimes went with him to religious meetings. He would listen to the adults all day in the "hot, sweaty black churches."

Jones finished high school in his hometown in 1986. He then earned his college degree in communication and political science. He studied at the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin). During this time, Jones also worked as an intern for several newspapers. These included The Jackson Sun and the Shreveport Times. He also worked for the Associated Press in Nashville. He started using the nickname "Van" when he was 17. This was when he was working at The Jackson Sun.

At UT Martin, Jones helped start and lead several student newspapers. These included the Fourteenth Circle and the Periscope. He also worked on the New Alliance Project and the Third Eye. Jones later said that UT Martin helped him prepare for a bigger life.

Jones decided not to become a journalist. Instead, he moved to Connecticut to attend Yale Law School. In 1992, a man named Rodney King was beaten by police officers. The incident was caught on camera. When the officers were found not guilty, protests started. Jones was one of several law students who watched these protests. He was arrested during the protests. However, the charges against him were later dropped. Jones and other arrested protesters won a small legal payment. Jones later said this event made him feel more strongly about changing the system.

Jones's desire to help others also grew from seeing unfairness in New Haven, Connecticut. After finishing law school in 1993, Jones moved to San Francisco. He said he was "trying to be a revolutionary." He joined many activists. He helped start a group called Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement (STORM). This group protested against police unfairness. It also studied ideas about social change. The group hoped to create a fair society for all races.

Career and Activism

Early Work for Change

Jones worked with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. This group had first brought him to San Francisco. In 1995, Jones started their Bay Area PoliceWatch project. This was a special hotline and lawyer service. It helped people who had been treated unfairly by the police. The hotline received about fifteen calls every day.

Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

In 1996, Jones started a new group called the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. He worked from a small office. He used his own computer to get started.

From 1996 to 1997, Jones and PoliceWatch worked to get a police officer fired. The officer was accused of using too much force. This happened during the death of Aaron Williams, an unarmed Black man. There was a lot of anger in the community about Williams's death. The police department was pressured to take action. The officer was later fired for lying on his job application.

In 1999 and 2000, Jones led a campaign against Proposition 21. This law would have increased punishments for young people. It also would have made more young offenders be tried as adults. He worked to get students to protest against the law. This effort made national news. Even though the law passed, Jones learned to work with more groups to reach his goals.

The law led to more people being put in jail in the United States. In 2001, Jones and the Ella Baker Center started the "Books Not Bars" campaign. From 2001 to 2003, he worked to stop a new "Super-Jail for Youth" from being built in Oakland. Books Not Bars later started a statewide effort to improve California's youth justice system.

Color of Change

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Jones and James Rucker started a group called Color of Change. This online group works on issues important to Black communities. Its goal is to make sure Black Americans have a stronger voice in politics. It helps people work together for positive social change.

Focus on the Environment

By 2005, Jones began to support environmental justice. This means making sure everyone, especially those in poorer communities, benefits from a healthy environment. In 2005, the Ella Baker Center decided to focus on creating jobs, wealth, and health. This was to help communities avoid cycles of jail time. Jones worked to start the nation's first "Green Jobs Corps" in Oakland. This program helps local residents get job training and support. It prepares them for careers in the new energy economy.

The Green Collar Economy Book

Jones meets with then-mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom at a book signing for The Green Collar Economy, October 14, 2008.

Jones published his first book, The Green Collar Economy, in 2008. In the book, he shares a plan to solve two big problems: the economy and the environment. Many important people, like Al Gore and Nancy Pelosi, praised the book.

Jones explained that new ideas and money are needed. This would help the country move from a "grey economy" that causes pollution to a healthy "green economy."

Jones did not have a big budget to promote his book. But he used an online marketing plan that spread quickly. This helped his book become a #12 bestseller on the New York Times list. Jones and his group, Green For All, used emails and phone calls. They reached out to friends, bloggers, and activists. Jones said that becoming a bestseller was a win for the whole green-collar jobs movement.

Working in the Obama White House

Special Advisor for Green Jobs

In March 2009, Jones was chosen for a special role. He became the Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. This was part of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Jones was a strong supporter of President Barack Obama. He had not planned to work for the government. But he changed his mind after seeing how the administration worked.

Jones described his job as "the green-jobs handyman." He said he was there to help lead in the new field of green jobs.

Some conservative news groups criticized Jones's appointment. They mentioned his past activities. In July 2009, Color of Change, a group Jones had started, asked advertisers to stop supporting a Fox News show. This was because the show's host made comments about President Obama. In September 2009, a video of Jones speaking was shared online. In the video, he used strong words about some lawmakers. Jones apologized, saying his words did not reflect the administration's views.

Resignation

Some politicians criticized Jones for his remarks. They also brought up a petition from 2004. This petition suggested that the Bush administration might have allowed 9/11 to happen. Jones immediately said he did not agree with the statement and had not signed the petition. He apologized if his past statements had offended anyone. (Later, in 2010, the group confirmed that they had no proof Jones had signed the statement.)

Jones resigned on September 5, 2009. He said he was being unfairly attacked by people who opposed health care and clean energy changes. He felt he was becoming a distraction to the government's goals. The White House thanked Jones for his service. They also said the president did not support his past comments.

Some people who supported Jones felt he should not have resigned. They believed his work was important.

Career After the Obama Administration

Jones speaking at Power Shift 2011, an annual youth summit, in Washington, D.C., on April 15, 2011

Center for American Progress

In February 2010, Jones became a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He led their Green Opportunity Initiative. This program aimed to increase investment and jobs through clean energy.

Princeton University

Around the same time, Jones also started working at Princeton University. He was a special visiting fellow. He worked in both African American Studies and Environmental Policy.

Jones continued to support green jobs after leaving the government. In 2010, he spoke at a rally in Washington, D.C. He talked about connecting the fight against poverty with the fight against pollution. He said green jobs would bring "real solutions." In 2011, Jones was a main speaker at Powershift 2011. He spoke to over 10,000 students about climate justice. This was the largest youth activism event in U.S. history.

Rebuild the Dream

In June 2011, Jones worked with MoveOn.org to start the Rebuild the Dream campaign. This campaign aimed to create a new movement for progress. It was meant to be a counter to other political movements. The campaign launched with a "Contract for the American Dream." This was a plan to help people achieve their goals. The launch included performances by famous artists. Jones said that 127,000 people had joined the movement by July 2011.

In April 2012, Jones published his second book, Rebuild the Dream. It also became a New York Times Best-Seller.

CNN Television Work

Television Shows

In June 2013, Jones was announced as a co-host for a new version of the CNN political debate show Crossfire. The show started in September 2013 but was canceled by October 2014.

In 2016, Jones launched The Messy Truth. This was a documentary series. Later, it became a studio discussion show called The Messy Truth with Van Jones on CNN. In 2018, Jones started The Van Jones Show on CNN. Jay-Z was his first guest.

In 2019, Jones launched The Redemption Project with Van Jones. This show focuses on restorative justice. It brings people who have committed crimes face to face with those affected by their actions.

The Dream Corps

Jones was a longtime friend and associate of American musician Prince. Jones often cites Prince as the reason he wears a purple tie during TV appearances.

Jones is the President of The Dream Corps. This group helps develop ideas and projects to support people in society. The Dream Corps runs several programs. These include Green for All, #cut50, and #YesWeCode.

#YesWeCode

In early 2015, Jones launched #YesWeCode. This program aims to "teach 100,000 low-income kids to write code." The musician Prince helped support the launch. Jones says his friend Prince gave him the idea for #YesWeCode. The program has hosted several events where people work together to create computer programs.

After Prince's death in 2016, Jones shared that Prince had secretly helped fund #YesWeCode. Jones also said that Prince was a major giver to many charities. Prince preferred to give money without getting public credit. Jones was one of the people Prince trusted to help distribute his gifts.

#cut50

In 2015, Jones launched #cut50. This group works with both political parties to improve the criminal justice system. In March 2015, #cut50 held a meeting with Newt Gingrich, a Republican leader. Their goals are to reduce the number of people in prison. They also want to end mandatory long sentences for certain crimes.

In November 2015, the singer Alicia Keys supported #cut50. In 2016, Keys made a video asking a Congressman to help with criminal justice reform. #cut50 also received support from many other famous people.

In May 2018, Jones and #cut50 members met with Jared Kushner and President Donald Trump. They discussed a bill to reform criminal justice.

The First Step Act

Jones and #cut50 worked with the Trump White House and Kim Kardashian. They helped pass the First Step Act. This bill made important changes to national crime and sentencing laws. The New York Times called it "the most substantial changes in a generation."

REFORM Alliance

In 2019, Jones became the CEO of REFORM Alliance. This group was started by Jay-Z, Meek Mill, and others. Its goal is to change the criminal justice system. It has received money from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

Magic Labs Media

Magic Labs Media is a media company owned by Jones. In 2016, it produced The Messy Truth miniseries. This series won a Webby Award. In 2020, it produced The Messy Truth VR Experience, which won an Emmy Award. In 2021, a weekly podcast called "Uncommon Ground with Van Jones" began.

Awards and Honors

Jones has received many awards, including:

1996 – Brick Award (now called Dosomething Awards)
1998 – Reebok Human Rights Award
2000 – Ashoka Fellow
2008 – Time magazine, Environmental Hero
2008 – Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship
2009 – Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award
2009 – Individual Thought Leadership, Energy & Environment Awards; Aspen Institute
2010 – NAACP President's Award
2010 – Commonwealth Club of California – Inforum's 21st Century Visionary Award
2010 – Global Exchange Human Rights Award Honoree.
2013 – Ebony Magazine's Power 100, "The Innovators"
2015 – Environmental Media Association's Green Biz Global Innovator Award
2015 – Rainbow Push Coalition's 2015 Vanguard Award
2017 – Webby Awards, Special Achievement award for his "use of the Internet and social media during the 2016 election"
2019 – Lumiere Award for “The Messy Truth VR Experience”
2020 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Interactive Program
2021 – Recipient of inaugural Courage and Civility Award from Jeff Bezos. This award included US$100 million for Jones to give to non-profit organizations of his choice.