Keynote Presentation by Van Jones

Mar 13, 2008 at 08:30 am

Van Jones is working to combine solutions to America’s two biggest problems: social inequality and environmental destruction.

In 1996, Van and Diana Frappier co-founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, which is now headquartered in Oakland, California. Named for an unsung civil rights heroine, the Center promotes positive alternatives to violence and incarceration.

Van is also a founder of a new national coalition that is promoting the idea of a national “Clean Energy Jobs Corps.” He is the founding president of Green For All, a national campaign for green-collar jobs and opportunities. In June 2007, the City of Oakland adopted a proposal from the Ella Baker Center and the Oakland Apollo Alliance to create a “Green Jobs Corps.” The Corps will train youth for eco-friendly “green-collar jobs.”

A 1993 Yale Law graduate and engaging speaker, Van is also a husband and father. He is proud to champion some of the most hopeful solutions to America's toughest challenges