Van Jones Can Empathize With Trump Voters

Interview by ANA MARIE COX AUG. 24, 2016

Van Jones Credit Stephen Voss for The New York Times

Jones is the president of Dream Corps, a nonprofit organization, and is a CNN contributor.

Age: 47

Occupation: Social entrepreneur

Hometown: Jackson, Tenn.

His Top 5 Afrofuturist Works:
1. “Sign o’ the Times,” Prince
2. “Octavia’s Brood,” Adrienne Maree Brown and Walidah Imarisha, editors
3. “Electric Lady,” Janelle Monáe
4. “Black Panther,” Reginald Hudlin
5. “Mothership,” Bill Campbell and Edward Austin Hall, editors

I’ve read that you’re a science-­fiction and comic-­book nerd and that you’re close with Newt Gingrich, who has written a few novels about alternate histories. Why do you think a lot of people who love policy wonkery also have an interest in science fiction? Because we’re all nerds.