Van Jones, esq.

Photo © William Mercer McLeod

Van Jones is the founder of both the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and Green For All. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Solve Our Two Biggest Problems (Harper One 2008), which is endorsed by Nancy Pelosi, Tom Daschle and Al Gore. Most recently, Van served as the Special Adviser for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation for the White House Council on Environmental Quality until September 2009.

A 1993 Yale Law graduate, Van Jones is a husband and the father of two small boys. He is a tireless advocate for the planet and its people, committed to creating a robust and expanding green economy and greatly expanding the coalition fighting global warming.

Awards & Honors

Among Van's recent honors: included among TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People (2009), selection as a TIME Magazine 2008 Environmental Hero; named one of Fast Company's 12 Most Creative Minds of 2008; and designation as one of the most influential/inspiring African Americans of 2008 by Essence Magazine.

Also in 2008, Van Jones was awarded the following: Puffin/Nation prize for "Creative Citizenship"; Elle Magazine "Green Award 2008"; selection as one of the George Lucas Foundation's "Daring Dozen 2008"; Hunt Alternatives "Prime Mover Award 2008"; Campaign for America's Future "Paul Wellstone Award 2008"; Global Green USA "Community Environmental Leadership Award 2008"; designation as one of the nation's "Plenty 20" in the October/November 2008 edition of Plenty Magazine; San Francisco Foundation "Community Leadership Award 2008"; Environment News Feed's "2008 Top Eco-entrepreneur of the Year"; and one of the "20 Hottest Influences" in the National Urban League's Urban Influence Magazine.

Earlier in his career, Van was awarded 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.

In 2008, Tom Friedman profiled Van Jones in his bestselling book, Hot, Flat & Crowded. Also in 2008, Wilford Welch featured him in the book Tactics of Hope, and Joel Makower highlighted Van's ideas in the book Strategies for the Green Economy.

A 'Green Jobs' Pioneer - Globally & Nationally

In 2005, Van produced the "social equity track" for the United Nations' World Environment Day 2005 summit, which was themed "Green Cities: Plan for the Planet." As a result of Van's advocacy, the resulting Accords called upon the world's mayors to: "Adopt a policy or implement a program that creates environmentally beneficial jobs in slums and/or low-income neighborhoods." The adoption of these accords marked the beginning of the global movement for "green jobs."

In 2007, Van helped the City of Oakland pass a "Green Jobs Corps" proposal. The City allocated funds to train Oakland residents in eco-friendly "green-collar jobs."

At the national level, Van worked successfully in 2007 with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.) to pass the Green Jobs Act of 2007. The path-breaking, historic legislation authorized $125 million in funding to train 35,000 people a year in "green-collar jobs."

In 2008, Green for All partnered with Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection to launch the Green For All Academy. The Academy trains U.S. grassroots leaders to effectively advocate for an inclusive, green economy.

Also starting in 2008, Van Jones began serving on the Committee to Engage African Americans in Climate Change, sponsored by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

On September 27, 2008, Green For All worked with national partners to produce "Green Jobs Now" -- the first-ever "national day of action" calling for green-collar jobs in the United States. More than 600 communities in all 50 states participated, with more than 50,000 signing a petition that called for federal government action to spur green jobs.

In 2009, Van Jones was appointed to the White House Council on Environmental Quality as special advisor for green jobs, enterprise and innovation.

(Serially) Successful Social Entrepreneur

In 1996, Van Jones co-founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Van co-founded Color Of Change with James Rucker. Color of Change has become the nation's biggest online advocacy organization that focuses on African-American issues.

Van is also a co-founder of a national coalition that promotes the idea of a national "Clean Energy Jobs Corps." This multi-billion-dollar federal initiative would put hundreds of thousands of people to work rewiring and retrofitting the energy infrastructure of the United States.

Additionally, Van Jones is a founding board member of the National Apollo Alliance and 1Sky, two national organizations promoting clean energy jobs and climate solutions.

National Media Appearances

Van's efforts have received attention from prominent news sources. Last year, he appeared on CNN's "Feature #1," FOX News "Your World With Neil Cavuto," NPR's "Living On Earth," and Steven Colbert's "The Colbert Report." Van has also been featured in Good Magazine, TIME Magazine, Newsweek, The New York Times, and many online blogs.

A proud native of Jackson, Tennessee, Van Jones, 40, is proud to champion some of the most hopeful solutions to America's toughest challenges.