Van Jones is a spiritual activist, and a national environmental leader, working to combine solutions to America's two biggest problems: social inequality and environmental destruction. Van is the founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, which was named for an unsung civil rights heroine. The Centre is a strategy and action center working for justice, opportunity and peace in urban America based in Oakland, California.
As an advocate for the toughest urban constituencies and causes, Van has won many honours including the 1998 Reebok International Human Rights Award, the international Ashoka Fellowship, selection as a World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader," and the Rockefeller Foundation "Next Generation Leadership" Fellowship.

 

Van's roles as an activist and environmentalist have given him a unique perspective on the country's problems - and its potential solutions. He is calling for green economic development for urban America.

He was recently appointment as the White House Special Advisor on Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation by the Obama Administration, and the City of Oakland has adopted the Ella Baker Center's initiaitive "Green Jobs Corps" proposal, which trains youth for eco-friendly "green-collar jobs."

Van has served on the boards the National Apollo Alliance, Social Ventures Network, Rainforest Action Network, Bioneers and Julia Butterfly Hill's "Circle of Life" organization.

My favorite Van Jones quote is, "Martin Luther King didn't get famous by saying I have a complaint." The first time I saw Van Jones speak was at The Network of Spiritual Progressives Conference in 2005. It was his "I have a dream" speech. There was a sense of history in the room and he allowed himself to be truly ceased by the moment. He spoke of the union of spirituality and activism as the critical element in humanities bid for survival.

In person he comes across as a gentle but powerful presence - born of wisdom, backed with action.

~ Velcrow Ripper

ARTICLES

TIME MAGAZINE - TOP 100 - By Leonardo di Caprio

WEB LINKS
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Fierce Light Podcasts featuring Van Joes - Episode #1, 2 & 3

VIDEOS OF VAN JONES

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Van Jones