Logo
Van Jones Headshot
Report a problem with this profile
[email protected]

Van Jones          

Emmy Award-Winning TV Host, Political Strategist & Producer; Civil Rights & Environmental Advocate; NYT Bestselling Author; CEO of REFORM Alliance

Van Jones is a media personality, the founder of multiple social enterprises, and a world-class change maker.

A three-time New York Times bestselling author, Jones hosts two shows on CNN: “The Van Jones Show” and “The Redemption Project.” He is the host of CNN’s Incarceration, Inc. podcast series. In 2013-2014, Jones was a co-host of CNN's "Crossfire," along with Newt Gingrich; he later hosted a special event series on CNN called “The Messy Truth.” He is the co-founder of Magic Labs Media LLC, a producer of the WEBBY Award-winning Messy Truth digital series.

Jones has also found success as a social entrepreneur. He has been a leader in the fight for criminal justice reform for more than 25 years. To achieve his goals, Jones co-founded a series of social enterprises, including: Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, ColorOfChange.org, GreenForAll.org, Rebuild The Dream, and the Dream Corps. The Dream Corps houses three social impact initiatives: #YesWeCode, Green For All, and #cut50. Today, Jones is the CEO of the REFORM Alliance, an initiative founded by Jay-Z, Meek Mill, and six billionaires to transform the criminal justice system.

In 2018, Jones and #cut50 led the winning campaign to pass the FIRST STEP Act -- a bipartisan federal bill that the New York Times called the most substantial breakthrough in criminal justice in a generation. This was not Jones’ first history-making legislative victory: a decade earlier, he was the primary champion of the Green Jobs Act of 2007. In 2009, he worked as the Green jobs advisor to the Obama White House.

Jones has won numerous awards, 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”; the 2010 NAACP Image Award; a 2017 WEBBY special achievement award; a 2019 Lumiere Award; and a 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Interactive Program.

Jones earned a BS in communication and political science from the University of Tennessee at Martin and his law degree from Yale Law School.

Speech Topics

Rebuild The Dream: The Next American Economy

Imagine a new economy, where the founding principle of our country— liberty and justice for all—is deeply rooted in our economic philosophy and design, where businesses can profit alongside flourishing communities. The next American economy must value production over consumption, savings over credit and ecological restoration over ecological destruction. To achieve sustained prosperity, we need to transform our ideas and understanding around ownership and wealth—transcending consumerism, transforming corporations, and revitalizing communities.

“Green Jobs Not Jails”: Criminal Justice + Ecology

The USA has only five percent of the world’s population. Yet we produce: (a) about 25 percent of its greenhouse gasses and (b) about 25 percent of its prisoners. Coincidence? Van Jones doesn’t think so. He sees “mass incarceration” and the “mass extinction” as twin outcomes of the same false ideology: disposability. Industrial society behaves as if we have a throwaway planet – and throwaway people, too. To reverse course, Van says we must shrink the prison system and grow the green economy.

“Beyond Prisons”: Don’t Criminalize – Humanize

Civil rights attorney and TV personality Van Jones seeks peaceful streets through approaches that are smarter, fairer and less costly. His organization, Dream Corps Unlimited, houses the Beyond Prisons campaign. That initiative works to safely and smartly reduce the prison population by at least 50 percent – by promoting proven, bipartisan solutions. Neither Democrats nor Republicans see much sense in locking people away for long periods of time, often for petty offenses, and then denying them a chance to work, vote, rent an apartment or get a student loan for the rest of their lives.

#YesWeCode: Race, Gender & The Digital Divide

Former Obama advisor and CNN personality Van Jones created #YesWeCode to find real solutions. Housed at Dream Corps Unlimited, #YesWeCode is working to help 100,000 young adults of color – both women and men – find employment in the technology sector. Learn from the many insights that Van has gleaned by working directly with dozens of major tech firms, the Obama White House, and the nation’s top accelerated training programs. Hear how cultural barriers – on both sides of the divide – may be the biggest obstacles to an inclusive tech sector.

“Green For All”: Can Environmentalism Include Everyone?

The solar industry is booming. The fight for climate solutions is accelerating. The movement for a greener future is regaining steam. But will this renewed “green wave” lift ALL boats? Or will some places enjoy clean energy, green jobs and organic food, while others fall further behind? How can we avoid “ecological apartheid”? Van Jones has answers. He was the primary advocate for the Green Jobs Act of 2007. He is the founder of Green For All, a national organization working to grow the green economy in communities of color. He wrote the bestseller, The Green-Collar Economy – the definitive book on green jobs. And he was the special advisor on green jobs and innovation to the Obama White House.

Election 2016 – Protest & Politics In Age Of Twitter

Van has unique insight into America’s turbulent political scene. He has worked closely with political players at all levels – and across the spectrum. On the left, he has been allied with everyone from Richard Branson to Black Lives Matter. On the right, he has campaigned to win criminal justice reform alongside Newt Gingrich and Koch Industries. George W. Bush signed his first legislative proposal, the Green Jobs Act. Then President Obama appointed him to be special advisor on green jobs. Most recently, Van was "on the ground" in Ferguson, Charleston and Selma (for the 50th anniversary of the historic civil rights march there).

Show more speech topics
Green Jobs and Sustainability

Provocative and cutting edge, Van delivers a viable plan for solving the two biggest issues facing the country today—the economy and the environment.

America is NOT broke: Rebuild The Dream

We often hear people say that America is broke. When we look around, families are suffering. Americans are losing their jobs and their homes. Students are forced to take out more loans to pay for ever-rising tuition. But is America really broke? America is still the richest country in the world. American corporations continue to invent new technologies, and Wall Street banks are raking in record profits. So what can we do to restore prosperity, liberty and justice for all - not just for some? The American Dream of opportunity for all is under siege today. But a new movement is rising across the country to fight back. Born in 2011 - the year of economic protest, from Wisconsin to Wall Street - this grassroots stirring is championing the cause of the middle class and all those who aspire to join it.

Rebuild The Dream: The Next American Economy

Right now the American Dream is under siege. Tens of millions of willing workers can’t find jobs. Millions of homeowners have lost their homes to foreclosure and millions more are underwater. Instead of investing in our shared future, politicians are giving tax breaks to the rich and then slashing vital services families depend on. Rather than expanding protections for the middle class during these difficult economic times, they’re trying to gut workers’ rights. But a new movement is rising all across America to fight back. It was born among the teachers, students, firefighters and nurses of Wisconsin who took over their Capitol to stop Governor Walker’s power grab. Now it’s spreading as millions of other Americans–inspired by the events in Madison, Wisconsin–stand up to say “No” to right-wing attacks on the middle class. Van Jones called this new wave of energy the “American Dream Movement.” It’s growing stronger by the day, and it’s not going away until Americans can find jobs, afford to go to college, retire with dignity, and secure a future for their children and their communities.

American Dream 2.0 / Creating an economy that works for everyone

Imagine a new economy, where the founding principle of our country— liberty and justice for all— is deeply rooted in our economic philosophy and design, where businesses can profit alongside flourishing communities. To achieve this prosperity, we need to transform our ideas and understanding around ownership and wealth-- transcending consumerism, transforming corporations, and revitalize communities. We need to build institutions that expand and unite these seemingly small and disparate strategies. New economy is not a revolution-- it’s an evolution, a long-term plan that re-imagines capitalism with intent, and creates businesses with conscious design that respects communities and environment.

Show less speech topics

News

Emotional Van Jones: How do I explain this to my children?
CNN political commentator Van Jones gets emotional during a panel discussion of a possible Donald Trump presidential upset ...

Related Speakers View all

More like Van