Van Jones, born on September 20, 1968, in Jackson, Tennessee, received a Bachelor of Science in Communication and political science from the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Later, he attended Yale Law School and became involved in activism.
Van Jones career
Jones co-founded several non-profit organizations, including the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change, and the Dream Corps, which has three advocacy initiatives: Dream Corps Justice, Dream Corps Tech, and Green for All.
Jones served as President Barack Obama’s Special Advisor for Green Jobs in 2009 and was a distinguished visiting fellow at Princeton University.
He also authored three New York Times best-selling books: The Green Collar Economy, Rebuild the Dream, and Beyond the Messy Truth.
Jones has hosted or co-hosted several CNN shows, including Crossfire, The Messy Truth, and The Van Jones Show.
Served President Trump
Jones worked with the Trump administration and members of Congress from both parties to pass the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform effort.
He was formerly the CEO of the REFORM Alliance, an initiative founded by Jay-Z and Meek Mill to transform the criminal justice system.
The work of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Kennedys had a significant impact on Jones as he was growing up in an educational family.
He developed an interest in activism during law school, where he participated in protests against police brutality.
Van Jones the activist
Jones co-founded a socialist collective called Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement (STORM) in San Francisco.
He also founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and initiated the Bay Area PoliceWatch project, a lawyer-referral service for victims of police abuse.
Jones later became involved in environmentalism, advocating for green jobs and a “green economy” in his book, The Green Collar Economy.
Life after Obama
After leaving the Obama administration, Van Jones became a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and received appointments at Princeton University.
He continued advocating for green jobs and launched the Rebuild the Dream campaign to counter the Tea Party movement.
Jones also founded Advocates for Opioid Recovery and served on the boards of various environmental and nonprofit organizations.
He worked as a co-host for CNN’s Crossfire and launched The Messy Truth and The Van Jones Show.
Jones advised the Trump White House on police reform policy, leading to criticism from liberals.
He is currently the President of The Dream Corps and owns Magic Labs Media.
Jones has faced criticism for his support of Mumia Abu-Jamal and for his alleged conflict of interest for running a PR firm that lobbies electoral college electors not to cast their vote for Donald Trump.
Van Jones Wife: Does Van Jones have a wife?
Jones was previously married to Jana Carter in 2005.
Unfortunately, the couple got divorced in 2019.
Jana is an American activist, entrepreneur, and former attorney.
Van Jones Children
Jones is a proud father of three children.
He had two sons with his ex-wife Jana. More recently, he had a daughter with his friend Noemi, with whom he agreed to co-parent.
Van Jones Parents
Jones was born to Loretta Jean, his mother, who was a high school teacher, and Willy Anthony Jones, his father, who was a middle school principal.
His parents had a significant influence on his life, especially his mother, who raised him and his sister.
Van Jones Siblings
Jones has a twin sister named Angela.
Growing up, they were very close, and Angela described Jones as a stereotypical geek who was bookish and bizarre.
Today, they remain close, and Angela has supported Jones throughout his career.
Van Jones Net Worth
Jones has an estimated net worth of $5 million, which he earned through his political career, media work, and other jobs.
Despite his success, Jones remains committed to his advocacy work and strives to make a difference in society.
Van Jones Instagram
To view Jones’s profile on Instagram, visit @vanjones68, where you can keep up with his latest projects, ideas, and initiatives.
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