Fighting For the Underdog with Van Jones
This week, we’ll be sharing the stories of African-American community members in celebration of #BlackHistoryMonth, which runs throughout February in the US.
Van Jones (@vanjones68) was born in 1968 — the same year Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were killed. “I’ve always been fascinated by them,” says the human rights activist and CNN commentator. From voting rights to natural disaster relief, Van has fought for underrepresented communities in the US. His #LoveArmy movement is an extension of this work. “Love Army is for Muslims and Dreamers [young undocumented immigrants who identify as American] and black protesters, but it’s also for coal miners who are losing their pensions and industrial belt workers who worry about their future,” says Van, who will host national teach-ins to, as he puts it, lift the humanity of all the underdogs.
As for his thoughts on Black History Month, Van has an idea for improvement: “I think Black History Month is very important for looking back, but maybe the last week of the month should be Black Future Week. It’s also important to think about what the future of the black community and social justice is.”
