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In this final installment of the podcast, Van thanks the Uncommon Ground community for joining him on this journey.
Some doubted that anyone could do a successful podcast based solely on finding positive solutions, deepening understanding and bringing people together across lines of difference. But we're happy to report: measured by downloads, Uncommon Ground wound up in the top 2 percent of all podcasts! Our success with this podcast over fifty episodes has shown that people do respond to intelligent, uplifting content when it’s offered. The reception from our listeners showed that people yearn for more depth and nuance. We hope this podcast satiated some of that yearning.
Van must take his leave to prepare himself to cover the upcoming presidential season and contest. But he encourages everyone to stay involved in building unlikely communities. One way to do that is to support Dream.Org — which carries on the work of fostering deep conversations and finding solutions even across large divides. We hope folks will listen (and relisten) to the episodes we aired this season. There is enough love, hope, wisdom and insight in these episodes to get us through the coming storms—and beyond.
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“Yes, the system is broken. But the solution lies not in dismantling it or burning it down, but in finding solutions that have been shown to work. We should focus on the bread-and-butter issues. Most rank-and-file Democrats are practical and not ideological. Most of them have no Twitter accounts. They worry about the cost of housing, healthcare, and higher education.”
Congressman Ritchie Torres is a pragmatic progressive who stands out among a new generation of leaders. He is often compared to a young Barack Obama, and in this interview you’ll see why. At the age of 25, Ritchie became the youngest elected official and the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to office in the Bronx. Now age 34, Ritchie is still too young to be president. That said, he is making major legislative strides and his future is bright.
In this episode, Ritchie shares stories about growing up in the South Bronx and how his working-class upbringing has influenced the way he thinks about the Democratic Party. He shares his views on the two camps inside the his party, and discusses the issues he thinks Americans are focused on as we near the midterm elections. Tune in to hear a fresh and nuanced political perspective. This may be the first time you’re hearing of Ritchie Torres. It most certainly will not be the last!
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Manglende episoder?
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In this season’s final bonus episode, we wanted to make sure you got a chance to hear from some incredible young people who are trying to save the Earth.
Last year, Van went to COP26 (the UN Climate Change Conference) held in Glasgow, Scotland. There he met with Jerome Foster, Kevin Patel, Chante Harris, Alexandria Villaseñor, Kevin Mtai, and others. These young people are doing extraordinary work advocating for progress on climate solutions — to ensure they inherit a livable planet. Since that historic gathering, we have made some progress, including billions for clean energy in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. But with so much farther to go, we could not close the season without letting you hear from the leaders of the next generation.
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It is exceedingly rare these days for two national voices on opposite sides of the political spectrum to come together and have an honest, respectful exchange of views. Many on the right believe that progressives want to abuse government power to punish them for their views. Many on the left feel under constant assault from the right. It is increasingly easy for each side to dismiss the concerns of the other. But in a democracy, we need to try to understand those who think differently than we do. Even when we fundamentally disagree.
Matt Schlapp is a giant on the right, both in the United States and abroad. As chairman of the American Conservative Union, Matt has his finger on the pulse of the Republican Party. He represents what many conservatives think today, and how they view the future. Matt and Van often don’t agree with each other, but they respect each other enough to listen. And when they do agree, they work together. Tune in to hear a deep discussion about how today’s political discourse is tearing us apart, and how we might repair this damage and come together.
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In this special bonus episode, Van moves into the guest seat for an interview with comedian and author Chelsea Handler. The conversation took place in 2018 while Chelsea was filming her Netflix documentary: Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea.
Chelsea’s goal was to explore the impacts of ‘white privilege’ on American culture. In the intervening years, the U.S. has gone through a racial justice awakening. But with so much progress still needed, this never-before-heard conversation is as relevant as ever.
Get ready for an honest and raw conversation between two friends. They talk openly about race and privilege. And Van offers valuable perspective and actionable lessons. You don’t want to miss this one!
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“So many people in politics, they've all got opinions. My job is not to be about my opinions. My job is to go out and listen to other people's opinions.”
What shot does Donald Trump have at re-election? What do Republicans really think about Ron DeSantis? How are people feeling about the Biden Presidency? What issues are really keeping Americans up at night? With her keen and unique insight, Kristen Soltis Anderson can help us answer these questions. As a top Republican pollster, Kristen’s job is to go out into the world and collect data on what everyday Americans are thinking about. In this episode, Kristen shares some of that knowledge with Van. They explore the ideological difference between the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as the divisions within each party. Kristen and Van lay out how developing a better understanding of where the “other side” is coming from can benefit all of us. You will also be surprised to hear that Trump supporters and young progressives actually share a common characteristic.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
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"There's that quote: ‘First I was smart, and I tried to change the world. Then I got wise, and I tried to change myself.’ What I've leaned into now is: let me stop soap-boxing and telling everyone else what to do. And let me start looking at myself. I was a fraud in many ways because I felt that I had to represent the thing, but I didn't have to be the thing.”
Adrian Grenier was an A-list actor who had it all, including fame, money, and influence. But even in the midst of great success, Adrien realized he wasn’t truly the person he wanted to be. He walked away from it all in pursuit of a deeper vision and a higher calling. This week Adrian lets us in on his powerful personal journey. We get a glimpse into the inner and outer work he’s done to get to where he is, and how he went from representing causes to embodying those causes. Today Adrian lives a life in harmony with his values as a creative and effective environmentalist, entrepreneur, and change agent. Tune in to hear a strikingly honest conversation about how to live with integrity and make a positive difference.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
For support related to childhood sexual abuse: https://enoughabuse.org/get-help/survivor-support/
For support related to childhood trauma: https://www.samhsa.gov/child-trauma/recognizing-and-treating-child-traumatic-stress
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“I've seen situations, which are far worse than our situation, where the impossible became possible. I saw the Berlin wall come down. I was in South Africa in 1989 when Mandela was still in prison. And within six years there was an astonishing political transformation in South Africa. Even in the Middle East, Israel and Egypt forged a peace that endures to this day, 40 years later.”
Tensions and polarization within the US are increasing. Many people are wondering: could we be heading toward a civil war? And more importantly, what can we do to avoid that outcome? This week, Van sits down with peacemaker and negotiation expert William Ury, who has spent his career trying to address hostility between parties in conflict-ridden areas. He knows exactly what it takes to address deep-rooted disputes in hopes of finding a positive way forward. In this episode, William teaches us how to identify an impending conflict, and what we can do about it. In a time of uncertainty and high stakes, William’s wisdom, expertise and cautious optimism are sorely needed.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
What would an ideal America look like to you? How can you restore trust in the institutions and communities around you? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“Failure is not the opposite of success. It's a stepping stone to success. If we're lucky, we get 30,000 days to play the game of life. How we spend those 30,000 days depends on what we value. And if we are disconnected from our spiritual essence, it is so much easier to value things that will never really fulfill us.”
This week, Van is joined by Arianna Huffington – renowned author, entrepreneur, media personality and one of Van’s most influential mentors. Arianna is no stranger to transformation. She was born in Greece, moved to England and eventually the United States. She's been a Republican and a Democrat. She founded the revolutionary media business The Huffington Post, and is now leading the behavior change tech startup Thrive. Arianna is a master of self discovery, reinvention, and doing work that has a real impact on our world.
All of this makes Arianna the perfect person to answer the question: how can we change for the better, while staying true to ourselves? In this episode, Arianna speaks about the importance of spirituality in her work, and her views on the state of politics today. If you are trying to figure out how to take better care of yourself while also making a big difference in the world, there is no better mentor to guide you than Arianna Huffington.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
How are you trying to transform? What role does spirituality play in your daily life? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“What am I going to do to create lasting positive transformation? Everyone has that opportunity. And I think everyone should recognize that you should not ever quit or doubt your ability to make something positive happen.”
You might know Aloe Blacc as a famous musician. But did you know that he’s also an activist, a non-profit founder, and a biotech entrepreneur? Aloe proves that no matter what skill your known for, you just might surprise yourself with how much more you're capable of doing.
In this episode, Aloe sits down with Van to discuss all the work he’s been doing – from fighting for greater police accountability to advocating for immigration reform through his music. Aloe is always willing to take on different challenges to make the world a better place. Stay tuned to hear Aloe’s take on who should run in the 2024 presidential election. It’s not who you might think!
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
How are you using your power in your everyday life? What do you do to give yourself a sense of purpose? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“What's being sold today is that one side is good, and the other side is bad. That one side is racist, and the other side is not. There's just nothing further from the truth.”
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is up for reelection this fall. Many speculate that he will run for president one day soon. Scott is one of only three Black United States senators, and the only Black senator in the Republican Party. His unique tone, set of experiences and views on immigration differentiate him from his peers. No stranger to finding common ground, Scott has worked alongside Democrats on criminal justice reform.
In this episode Senator Scott and Van discuss his police reform work, why he believes more Black Americans should join the Republican Party, and whether the Republican Party attracts extremist elements. Stick around to hear Scott’s advice for VP Kamala Harris and his opinions on the Trump administration.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
What are some things you consider when choosing who to vote for? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“Because there were so few people who looked like me in my business throughout my career, I've been so cautious about drawing attention to my ethnicity, to my gender. To bring these issues to the fore has been very uncomfortable, but necessary. I hope that I've inspired people in my own community to no longer be content to sit on the sidelines. It's been an incredible experience to see this community come together.”
Lisa Ling is a beloved and gifted journalist and TV star. Since the age of 18, she has traveled the world as a reporter. Lisa's reporting always gets to the human heart of the stories she uncovers. She is a bright star within the Asian American community. But in the wake of COVID-19 – as violent attacks and other racist activity against Asian-Americans skyrocketed – she stepped up into an even more powerful and visible role.
This week, Van and Lisa talk about the impact of anti-Asian racism and how the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has come together. They bond over the often overlooked but rich history of solidarity between Asian and African Americans in the United States. Tune in to hear what true solidarity sounds like, how we can come together in times of violence, and why it’s so important that we recognize our shared goals.
#StopAsianHate
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
Is there a community outside of your own that you can support? How can you use your voice to uplift and protect those who don’t look like you? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“You have a bold generation now that you can tap into. Younger people. They are ready to go toe-to-toe with whomever on an idea that they feel passionate about. And a lot of the ideas could help us be the America that we claim to be.”
TikTok is becoming the social media home of a new generation of activists, while older folks debate politics on Facebook and Twitter. The rules and expectations are totally different on this newer platform. Nobody has found their political voice or footing more powerfully than A.B. Burns-Tucker.
A.B. was a law student when she exploded onto the scene thanks to her ingenious TikTok videos. She explains current events and big news stories, but does so using Ebonics or AAVE (African American Vernacular English). To some this sounds like a gimmick, but A.B. is reaching an audience that has traditionally been ignored by the mainstream media. In this week’s episode you’ll hear what inspired A.B.’s journey to law school and her path to becoming a TikTok star, and in the process learn a lot about the next generation.
You can find A.B.’s TikTok videos @iamlegallyhype.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
What does your community need to hear more of? How can you be a translator across communities? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“It is very clear that we are on the precipice – two years, three years, ten years max – that some of these disruptive technologies will fundamentally threaten the way we presently exist on the planet, in the way that nuclear weapons did when you and I were growing up. That transformation is scary, but it's also ripe with opportunity.”
This week Van is joined by the brilliant Ian Bremmer. Ian is a political scientist who has spent his career analyzing global political risk and advising leaders. Ian joins Van to break down some of the biggest threats of our time, from pandemics and climate change to disruptive technology and Russia. This list is enough to fill many of us with doom and gloom, but Ian is hopeful that we can come together globally to effectively address these crises and create a better and more sustainable future. More importantly he has realistic ideas about how we can do it.
For a more in-depth view into Ian’s thinking, check out his book The Power of Crisis: How Three Threats – and Our Response – Will Change the World.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
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“To be queer and come out in 1985 when I'm 16 years-old, and be thrust into the AIDS crisis and fighting for our lives on the front lines…Silence does equal death...I don't know anything else, but to fight. I do understand that as a queer Black man in this space who has been unapologetic from the beginning, there is a responsibility for me to continue to speak my truth.”
The incomparable Billy Porter does it all! He’s an Emmy, Tony, and Grammy award-winning actor, singer, producer, director, composer, and playwright. Billy is a cultural icon and a trailblazer on issues of race, sexuality, and gender. On top of all that - he’s an activist. For most of his life, Billy has been spreading awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and demanding action. And he’s done all of this while daring to live his truth.
In this episode, Van and Billy sit down to talk about Billy’s impact on the culture and the way his career has been intertwined with activism. This is a conversation filled with wisdom and laughter. It is proof of the fact that despite the pain he has endured, Billy infuses his life and work with joy.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
How do you infuse joy into your work? What activist traditions do you pull from? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“While people are occasionally motivated to do wonderful things on the basis of their faith, faith generally speaking provides bad reasons to do good things when good reasons are actually available.”
Can a Christian and an Atheist have a civil and constructive dialogue about the future? For the past 20 years, neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris has been one of the leading thinkers of the New Atheism Movement. Van Jones, on the other hand, is a man of deep Christian faith. Despite this seemingly stark divide, Sam and Van both share an interest in life’s big questions: How can people come together to create positive change? What does it mean to live a good life? How do people achieve a sense of belonging, especially during times of crisis?
In this episode, Van and Sam confront their differences as they discuss the pitfalls of dogma in religion and atheism. They both affirm the importance of some form of spiritual practice - whether through religious worship or through meditation and mindfulness. Wherever you fall on the spectrum of belief, there is something for you in this episode..
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
What are your views on religion? How much of a role does rationality play in your day-to-day life? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“You have this phenomenal wealth-generation going on. Yet you still have so much of the country totally left out – half the country, if not more, thinking the American dream isn't gonna be available for their kids.”
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna is an uncommon Congressperson. He represents California’s 17th district – a district with one of the highest concentrations of billionaires in the country. But he is adamant that we should tax billionaires fairly. He represents Silicon Valley, yet he works across the aisle with Republican leaders in Kentucky to foster opportunities and bring tech jobs to rural parts of the country. All while still upholding the interests of his own constituents. Why does he do this? From his grandfather’s role in the Indian Independence Movement to his parents’ immigration to the United States, the Khanna family’s journey is a living embodiment of the American dream. And now as a Congressman, he wants to keep that dream alive.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
How can you get outside of your bubble? What can you invest in to increase opportunity? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“I do not have the privilege to be partisan.” Get ready for a strong dose of inspiration from Van’s guest this week - Brittany K. Barnett.
When Brittany was 17 years old, her mother went to prison for drugs. Although Brittany may not have known it at the time, this awful breakdown would lead her to a powerful breakthrough. Hear about Brittany’s journey from accountant to attorney and finally, tireless criminal justice reform advocate. Brittany has won clemency for nearly a dozen clients under both the Obama and Trump administrations. Van and Brittany share a calling to get people free, as well as a passionate belief that we need to tap into and nourish the genius and creativity of those behind bars. Tune in to hear more about her incredible work.
For more from Brittany, check out her acclaimed book, A Knock at Midnight: a Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
What narratives are you challenging? How can you direct your pain and hardship into passion and purpose? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“I am pro-life. But Roe is a 40-year-old legal precedent. Respecting the rule of law, means I accept the decision. I don't want to celebrate abortion, but I don't want to demonize it, either. I'm the majority. It has never felt so lonely to be in a majority.”
S.E. Cupp is back – this time to discuss abortion. Van is a pro-choice progressive. S.E. is a pro-life conservative. One might expect fireworks!
But in this episode, S.E. lays out a nuanced, sophisticated and emotionally intelligent perspective on the topic. She challenges people on every side of the issue – while showing empathy for all sides. She may be the one pro-life conservative that every progressive needs to hear from.
The discussion also reveals surprising areas of common ground. For example, Van and S.E. both are concerned about the SCOTUS draft decision, which would overturn Roe v Wade. Together, they examine what it means when the will of the majority is ignored by the government, and what could happen next.
NOTE: Van and S.E. had this conversation after the Supreme Court draft decision was leaked, but before the official ruling came down. But their discussion could not be more relevant, timely or penetrating.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones release weekly, every Wednesday.
What does the Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade mean for you? What do your conversations around abortion sound like? Call 347-770-2785 and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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“Cash can’t solve everything. But it can solve everything that has to do with cash.”
Michael Tubbs became the youngest mayor of any major city in US history – at the age of 26. He immediately made poverty his number one issue. In 2017, as the newly elected mayor of Stockton, California, he recognized that lack of money was the root cause of most of the problems in his community. But what can the government do to alleviate poverty? Michael’s answer – give cash directly to people experiencing poverty. The idea of universal basic income (UBI) is not new: it was championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In this week’s episode, Michael tells the story of the UBI program he implemented in Stockton. The results were so impressive that his own team had to double-check the results.
New episodes of Uncommon Ground with Van Jones (http://amazon.com/uncommonground) release weekly, every Wednesday.
What breakthrough solutions are you excited about? Call 347-770-2785 (tel:3477702785) and leave Van a voicemail. Your comment or question will be recorded, and may be played and answered on a future episode of Uncommon Ground!
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