Van Jones Biography

Van Jones is a media personality, the founder of multiple social enterprises, and a world-class change maker.

A three-time New York Times bestselling author, Jones hosts two shows on CNN: “The Van Jones Show” and “The Redemption Project.” He is the host of CNN’s Incarceration, Inc. podcast series. In 2013-2014, Jones was a co-host of CNN's "Crossfire," along with Newt Gingrich; he later hosted a special event series on CNN called “The Messy Truth.” He is the co-founder of Magic Labs Media LLC, a producer of the WEBBY Award-winning Messy Truth digital series.

Jones has also found success as a social entrepreneur. He has been a leader in the fight for criminal justice reform for more than 25 years. To achieve his goals, Jones co-founded a series of social enterprises, including: Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, ColorOfChange.org, GreenForAll.org, Rebuild The Dream, and the Dream Corps. The Dream Corps houses three social impact initiatives: #YesWeCode, Green For All, and #cut50. Today, Jones is the CEO of the REFORM Alliance, an initiative founded by Jay-Z, Meek Mill, and six billionaires to transform the criminal justice system.

In 2018, Jones and #cut50 led the winning campaign to pass the FIRST STEP Act -- a bipartisan federal bill that the New York Times called the most substantial breakthrough in criminal justice in a generation. This was not Jones’ first history-making legislative victory: a decade earlier, he was the primary champion of the Green Jobs Act of 2007. In 2009, he worked as the Green jobs advisor to the Obama White House.

Jones has won numerous awards, including the World Economic Forum’s “Young Global Leader” designation; Rolling Stone’s 2012 “12 Leaders Who Get Things Done”; TIME’s 2009 “100 Most Influential People in The World”; the 2010 NAACP Image Award; a 2017 WEBBY special achievement award; a 2019 Lumiere Award; and a 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Interactive Program.

Jones earned a BS in communication and political science from the University of Tennessee at Martin and his law degree from Yale Law School.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 11/21/2025.

Van Jones Speaking Topics

  • Rebuild The Dream: The Next American Economy

    Imagine a new economy, where the founding principle of our country— liberty and justice for all—is deeply rooted in our economic philosophy and design, where businesses can profit alongside flourishing communities. The next American economy must value production over consumption, savings over credit and ecological restoration over ecological destruction. To achieve sustained prosperity, we need to transform our ideas and understanding around ownership and wealth—transcending consumerism, transforming corporations, and revitalizing communities.

  • “Green Jobs Not Jails”: Criminal Justice + Ecology

    The USA has only five percent of the world’s population. Yet we produce: (a) about 25 percent of its greenhouse gasses and (b) about 25 percent of its prisoners. Coincidence? Van Jones doesn’t think so. He sees “mass incarceration” and the “mass extinction” as twin outcomes of the same false ideology: disposability. Industrial society behaves as if we have a throwaway planet – and throwaway people, too. To reverse course, Van says we must shrink the prison system and grow the green economy.

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Van Jones Videos

Van Jones - New York Times DealBook Summit

Van Jones - New York Times DealBook Summit

The 2024 Elections: What Happened and What’s Next?

Van Jones | Milken Institute Global Conference

Van Jones | Milken Institute Global Conference

Addressing Antisemitism and Religious Bias Based on Facts panel

A Conversation with Van Jones | ASU+GSV Summit 2024

A Conversation with Van Jones | ASU+GSV Summit 2024

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  • What topics does Van Jones speak about?

  • Where does Van Jones travel from?

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Van Jones is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Rebuild The Dream: The Next American Economy, “Green Jobs Not Jails”: Criminal Justice + Ecology , “Beyond Prisons”: Don’t Criminalize – Humanize, #YesWeCode: Race, Gender & The Digital Divide, “Green For All”: Can Environmentalism Include Everyone? and Election 2016 – Protest & Politics In Age Of Twitter . The estimated speaking fee range to book Van Jones for your event is available upon request. Van Jones generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Daymond John, Hill Harper, Bakari Sellers, Peter Diamandis and Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Van Jones for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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