“I started to realize the political discourse nationally is not representative of the American people at all. It's what's best for TV or social media. It's good for a headline, but it's not good for actual people.”

Two unlikely allies in the environmental movement – Michelle Romero, a liberal leader at Green For All, and Benji Backer, a conservative leader at the American Conservation Coalition – prove that certain problems, like the climate crisis, are bigger than political parties. Join Van, Benji and Michelle on the ground at COP26, as they talk to each other–not about each other. It turns out there are a few smart ways to partner with the “other side” to address climate change.

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

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“I worry some about the pure polarization – the Left versus the Right…But I worry equally about a lack of faith in the future.”

Newt Gingrich might be best known for his strong opinions and fierce partisanship. But he’s also a deeply patriotic thinker who is open to finding common ground where it counts. Can blockchain technology increase trust in our elections? Can we place satellites in space to beam solar power to Earth? These are just a couple of the creative solutions Van and Newt explore. Can the Left and Right unite to save American democracy? Can Van and Newt? Tune in to find out. 

Uncommon Ground with Van Jones is nominated for a Webby award! Please vote for us HERE before the April 21st deadline! We appreciate your support. 

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

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“My whole life has been so much about me. And I'm at a place in my life where I don't care for that, the way that I used to. Now it's time to help other people. We shouldn't stop fighting for people that no one wants to fight for.”

Van sits down with one of his closest allies in the fight for criminal justice reform: Kim Kardashian. Kim gives a behind-the-scenes look at how she pursues justice for those behind bars, how her approach to criminal justice reform has evolved, and how a hypothetical “President Kardashian” would revolutionize the system. Kim also shares her perspective on entrepreneurship, beauty standards, and motherhood.

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

Have a question for Van? Call 347-770-2785 and leave him a voicemail. Your question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!

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“I'm sitting on a mountaintop in Vegas. I should be super happy, with all the movie stars, shooting Hangover 3. But instead I wish I had been there for that kid.”

How does someone go from producing comedy blockbusters, like The Hangover, to helping to pass landmark criminal justice reform? For Scott Budnick, it was all about taking that first step: saying ‘YES.’ He started out teaching a writing class at a juvenile hall. Now Budnick is the founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, which helps people coming out of jail and prison access support. In this episode, we dig into the ways that Scott has connected with people from ALL political backgrounds and walks of life, creating allies instead of enemies, to get amazing things done. This conversation will give you insight and inspiration as you take your own next steps toward positive change.

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

What’s one small step you could take to make a big change–something you could say “YES” to? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your message will be recorded, and may be played on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!

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“The thing that is most important for us as parents and caregivers is this: to be able to be there for our kids, we gotta take care of ourselves.”

Former California Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, joins Van to answer listener questions about how to handle the adverse effects of the pandemic on children. What do you do if your child is neurodivergent? How can we help to make sure our children are still socialized during periods of isolation? How do we help our young ones grieve?

Dr. Burke Harris is an award-winning physician, researcher, mother to four sons, and a leading expert in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. We hope this episode provides you with answers, insight, and hope.

Resources:

• Sesame Street in Communities, a guide to discussing grief with your child
• Dr. Nadine Burke Harris’ viral TEDTalk about the lasting effects of childhood trauma
• Dr. Burke Harris’ book, The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma and Adversity. Listen to it as an audiobook.

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

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“This is a terrifying moment in our country – it's literally illegal to teach that racism exists. But most white people live segregated lives. And I think the most powerful message of white supremacy is that I could live, love, work, play, die in racial segregation with no sense whatsoever that anything of value has been lost.” 

There’s been a lot of discussion recently about white fragility, critical race theory (CRT), systemic racism, and more – but what does any of this actually mean? And how can we talk about these things in ways that don't further backlash against progress, or leave white folks feeling an unhelpful amount of guilt? How did we go from the racial awakening of 2020 to the anti-CRT backlash of 2022?

Van Jones sits down with Dr. Robin DiAngelo, bestselling author of White Fragility and Nice Racism, to discuss the history of racism in America, how we got to where we are today, and how we can approach these difficult but necessary conversations – so we can forge a better future. 

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

Have a story about bringing up issues of race with others, or something you’ve done to reach out to someone who sees things differently than you do? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your message will be recorded, and may be played on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!

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“The freedom of Black people is a big American question – can those two things coexist? Can the United States of America, as we know it, coexist with true Black freedom? It's a constant fight, and I don't think many people in this country are very free.” – Phillip Agnew

It’s easy to complain about people and policies on the other side of the political aisle. But what do you do when you have disagreements with your political allies – the people with whom your goals are the same, but your strategies are different?

This week, Van Jones sits down with Phillip Agnew, founder of Black Men Build. Phillip challenges Van on his decision to form an alliance with the Trump Administration and other Republicans to reform the criminal justice system. Van questions Phillip on his stated commitment to abolishing the prison system in its present form. In exploring this tricky territory, the two long-time activists examine paths to racial justice that are both complementary and conflictual.

Learn more about Black Men Build at their website: blackmen.build

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

Call 347-770-2785 and leave him a voicemail telling us how you would fix (or do away with) the justice system. Your question or comment will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!

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“We have to be more transparent, more honest, more vulnerable, more willing to confront our mistakes than ever before, because we're in this context where lies can become truth with great ease.” What is the role of mercy, grace and redemption within movements for freedom? Malkia Cyril - activist, writer, and founding director of the non-profit Media Justice - has deeply considered answers. In this episode, Van and Malkia discuss the importance of building communities that ground accountability in hope and mercy. Malkia's mother was a leading activist in the Black Panther Party. Hard-won wisdom from decades of political struggle permeates every aspect of this conversation. Even as some grassroots leaders issue calls to “defund the police” — and march against the prison system – too many still cling to the mindset of punishment and revenge, themselves. It’s easy for some people to say they want to abolish police and prisons altogether. But what does an “abolitionist mindset'' really mean?

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

Have a question for Van? Call 347-770-2785 and leave him a voicemail. Your question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!

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“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.

Have a question for Van? Call 347-770-2785 and leave him a voicemail. Your question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"To live in a system of free enterprise, and to not understand the rules of free enterprise, must be the very definition of slavery." The racial wealth divide in America is a huge problem. So what do two Black men, both of whom have access to enough capital to actually make a difference, think we should do about it?

In this week’s episode, Van Jones sits down with John Hope Bryant, founder of Operation HOPE, Inc. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, John is focused on financial literacy as a means to reach social justice. Van wants to use his financial influence to disrupt the $90 billion per year incarceration industry. Can black capitalism effectively counter white racism? Is there anything more meaningful in life than your credit score? Join us for an uncommon conversation on money, race, freedom and justice.

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

Have a question for Van? Call 347-770-2785 and leave him a voicemail. Your question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.