The following was published in Trim Tab v1: In 2017, it seem that this notion still rings true. We closed our 2009 Trim Tab article with the thought that Van Jones looks to be the right man with the right message at the right time. This is the action behind genius and courage. They’re asking those who join to “stand with the most vulnerable, listen with empathy, and act out of love, not fear or hate.” This is the action we must implement moving forward. Most recently Jones, alongside DreamCorps, has led the initiative to build a #LoveArmy in an effort to fight for an inclusive country where everyone has a seat at the table. To this day, the organizations he leads provide a platform for those whose voices are often not heard. He has refused to waver in his commitment to underrepresented and underserved communities.

While the world continues to witness injustices, Jones remains a beacon of hope in our narrative. Three initiatives, #YesWeCode, #cut50, and #GreenForAll, fall within DreamCorps and strive to transform the criminal justice system, increase opportunity in the technology sector, and build an inclusive green economy, respectively. In 2014, he began cultivating the social justice accelerator, DreamCorps, to support economic, environmental, and criminal justice. As one of CNN’s political commentators, he appears across the network’s programming and as an analyst for special political coverage. As the Green Jobs Advisor to the White House during President Barack Obama’s first term, he led the national investment in job development within the environmental and green energy sectors. In the last eight years, Jones has accomplished monumental endeavors. And Van Jones has continued to further the movement of social inclusion and environmental justice for those who need it most. In the years that have followed, Trim Tab has continued to share compelling stories about regenerative communities and the people who inhabit them. In 2009, we introduced Jones in Trim Tab v01, highlighting his optimism and commitment to communities suffering from disinvestment and neglect. The Yale-educated lawyer and social rights activist is a clear representation of genius and courage. Our opening night keynote, Van Jones, does just that. The search then began for keynote speakers who are devoted to bringing these nouns to life in their daily actions. Noun: the ability to do something that frightens oneĭuring the initial planning stages of the International Living Future Institute’s 11th annual unConference, the theme was dedicated to Genius and Courage. Noun: exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability

The Green Collar Economy by Van Jones