Van Jones

Van Jones, 36, is the founder and National Executive Director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights (EBC). Headquartered in San Francisco, EBC is a national organization that challenges human rights abuses in the U.S. criminal justice system. Born in rural west Tennessee in 1968, Van is a 1990 graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin and a 1993 graduate of the Yale Law School. Van is a steadfast opponent of policies that result in the over-imprisonment and unlawful abuse of marginalized peoples in the United States. He is helping to lead a national fight for alternatives to the U.S. incarceration industry. Human Rights Crusader Van has been a pioneer in challenging police abuse, as well as the over-incarceration of young people. He helped to found the Ella Baker Center to anchor multiple efforts to challenge the criminalization, incarceration and abuse of low-income people and people of color. His efforts have won him widespread local, national and international recognition. Abstract: Green-Collar Jobs: The Next Step Forward Van Jones is helping to create a green economy that is strong enough to lift people out of poverty. As the sustainable portion of the economy grows, Van sees more than just business opportunities for the rich or consumer choices for the affluent. He also sees job opportunities for the poor. He believes that the green wave should - and can - lift all boats. He believes that "greening the cities" is the surest pathway both to peaceful streets and global ecological health. Advancing the slogan "green-collar jobs, not jails," Van is working to wed the social justice and ecology movements. Videography and Production provided by Lotus Crown Films. www.lotuscrownfilms.com