“Freedom has never been free, and it shouldn’t be. We get independence through recognition of our interdependency.” Van sits down with Sean Penn to discuss questions of freedom and responsibility, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most people know Sean Penn as an award-winning actor with a rebellious spirit, but his life work extends far beyond the screen and into some of the most disaster-stricken parts of the world. In this conversation, Van and Sean dive into vaccine mandates and the potential role of mandatory service in our society. What is our responsibility to one another? What is the relationship between collective safety and individual liberty? What can we be forced to do? Sean reflects on lessons from disaster relief and some of the most inspirational people he's met along the way.

To support and learn more about the important work Sean does with his nonprofit, CORE, visit www.coreresponse.org.

If you’re looking for up-to-date information about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines, please visit the CDC or WHO websites:

• https://www.cdc.gov/
• https://www.who.int/

New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.

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