2:00pm:  This afternoon Van Jones urged the audience to take initiatives to improve our workforce.  According to Jones, there are approximately 2.4 million green labor jobs in America right now.  Jones’ organization Green for All, provided great assistance to creating green jobs.   Green jobs consists of wind and solar panel installations, and technology.  “Our current president has more people working in the wind mines and solar panels,” Jones said.  “It’s time to train them to be the ones to design the technology, like coding, now that’s the future.”

Also, with our future providing swift and immediate connections to different parts of the world, he shared that we must move from complaining about minimal issues during opportunities to share thoughts and instead discuss what needs to be done.  “Our kids are not just competing amongst themselves, but they’re competing against kids all over the world. Let’s stop going to school boards complaining and begin dreaming of our children and young disconnected adults taking a lead role in technology in Newark.”   Technology and workforce development that addresses both personal economic vitality and the 21st century workforce were indeed addressed and used to motivate attendees to play a role.