Who Is Van Jones CNN? Everything You Need to Know
by A Maria
Updated Mar 29, 2023
Who is Van Jones CNN?
Anthony Kapel "Van" Jones, born on September 20, 1968, is an American author, lawyer, news and political commentator, and co-founder of several non-profit organizations. He is also a three-time New York Times bestselling author, a CNN host and contributor, and an Emmy Award winner. Jones served as President Barack Obama's Special Advisor for Green Jobs in 2009 and was a distinguished visiting fellow at Princeton University. He founded or co-founded several non-profit organizations, including the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change, and the Dream Corps, a social justice accelerator that operates three advocacy initiatives: Dream Corps Justice, Dream Corps Tech, and Green for All. Jones has hosted or co-hosted several CNN shows such as Crossfire, The Messy Truth, The Van Jones Show, and The Redemption Project with Van Jones. He has also authored three New York Times bestsellers, including The Green Collar Economy, Rebuilds the Dream, and Beyond the Messy Truth. Jones is the co-founder of Magic Labs Media LLC, a producer of the WEBBY Award-winning Messy Truth digital series, and the Emmy Award-winning The Messy Truth VR Experience with Van Jones. Additionally, he is a regular CNN political commentator. Jones worked with the Trump administration and members of Congress from both parties to pass the criminal justice reform effort known as the First Step Act. He was formerly the CEO of the REFORM Alliance, an initiative founded by Jay-Z and Meek Mill to transform the criminal justice system. Furthermore, Jones was a longtime colleague of and advisor to musician Prince.
Van Jones early life
Anthony Kapel Jones was born on September 20, 1968, in Jackson, Tennessee, along with his twin sister Angela. His parents were Loretta Jean, a high school teacher, and Willie Anthony Jones, a middle school principal. According to his sister, Jones was a typical "geek" who spent a lot of time lost in thought. As a child, he was known to be "bookish and bizarre." Jones' grandfather was an influential figure in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and Jones would often attend religious conferences with him. During these events, he would listen to the adults speak in hot, sweaty black churches for hours.
Van Jones career
Jones established the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, an umbrella NGO, in 1996. Jones led a campaign against Proposition 21 in 1999 and 2000, which aimed to increase penalties for violent crimes and require more juvenile offenders to be tried as adults. Despite Jones' efforts to mobilize a student protest movement, the proposition was passed, contributing to the high rates of incarceration, particularly among minorities, in the US. In response, the Ella Baker Center launched the "Books Not Bars" campaign in 2001, which aimed to block the construction of a proposed "Super-Jail for Youth" in Oakland's Alameda County. The campaign later expanded statewide to reform California's juvenile justice system.
During the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election, Jones served as Arianna Huffington's statewide grassroots director.
Van Jones CNN
Van Jones, a former Obama administration official, has been a regular contributor to CNN since the end of his political debate show, Crossfire. He has contributed to segments on a wide range of topics, including Obama administration policies, Supreme Court decisions, protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and the 2016 Republican presidential primary. In 2016, Jones launched The Messy Truth, a news feature documentary series, and subsequent studio discussion series, which aired in 2017 on CNN. In 2018, he launched The Van Jones Show on CNN, with Jay-Z as his first guest. Jones also launched The Redemption Project with Van Jones, a show focused on restorative justice. He has defended Tulsi Gabbard against Hillary Clinton's accusations and commented on the racist behavior of white liberals. Jones is the President of The Dream Corps, a social enterprise and incubator for powerful ideas and innovations designed to uplift and empower the most vulnerable in our society.
How much is Van Jones net worth?
Van Jones, an American political commentator, activist, entrepreneur, lawyer, and author, has achieved a net worth of $5 million through various professional ventures. He is most recognized for his role as a CNN political commentator, and for hosting or co-hosting several television shows on the network such as "Crossfire," "The Van Jones Show," and "The Messy Truth." Jones is also the founder or co-founder of several non-profit organizations, including Color of Change and the social justice accelerator Dream Corps.
Van Jones Biography
SPECIFICATIONS
DETAILS
Name
Anthony Kapel Jones
DOB
September 20, 1968
Age
54
Place of birth
Jackson, Tennessee, U.S.
Education
University of Tennessee, Martin (BS)
Yale University (JD)
Occupation(s)
News commentator, author, lawyer
Political party
Democratic
Spouse
Jana Carter - (m. 2005; div. 2019)
Children
3
Who is Van Jones CNN - FAQs
Van Jones is an American author, lawyer, news and political commentator, and co-founder of several non-profit organizations. He is also a three-time New York Times bestselling author, a CNN host and contributor, and an Emmy Award winner.
Van Jones has co-founded several non-profit organizations, including the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change, and the Dream Corps, a social justice accelerator that operates three advocacy initiatives: Dream Corps Justice, Dream Corps Tech, and Green for All.
Van Jones has hosted or co-hosted several CNN shows such as Crossfire, The Messy Truth, The Van Jones Show, and The Redemption Project with Van Jones.
Van Jones has authored three New York Times bestsellers, including The Green Collar Economy, Rebuilds the Dream, and Beyond the Messy Truth.
Van Jones worked with the Trump administration and members of Congress from both parties to pass the criminal justice reform effort known as the First Step Act. He was formerly the CEO of the REFORM Alliance, an initiative founded by Jay-Z and Meek Mill to transform the criminal justice system.