Black is the new Green

I don't know for certain what the public opinion is on the creation of green jobs/economy and people of Color's role in that industry, but I think it would be safe to assume that most have the image of weathered hippies, sustained on a steady diet of granola and leafy greens, sporting Birkenstock sandals and thick woolly knittings, which makes the work of Van Jones for many reasons so inspiring. A man who contrasts sharply with that image, Van Jones an accomplished attorney founded Green for All, a national NGO dedicated to "building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty, in 2007. He most recently made headlines by becoming the Obama administration's czar on green jobs, and more recently made bigger headlines by becoming one of the conservative right's victims, linking him to some unsavory radical left agenda. Consequently Jones decided it best to resign, but alas all is not lost. Echoing a sentiment that Arianna Huffington made on her Post, Jones is most effective in the community, not stuck in the thick muddy waters of Washington bureaucracy. Jones' presence in the green movement is not in itself inspiring, but it’s his ability to connect the empowerment of communities of color to the realization of such an economy. Why can't Harlem, Oakland, and East LA be the epicenter of this revolution? I think it’s in these communities where Mr. Jones needs to be.