---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Black politics is redemption and…"
description: "\"Black politics is redemption and transformation. It's not always pretty, but it's not always ugly either. I'll put India.Arie up against Donald Trump a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/van-jones-984_black_black-politics-is-redemption-and-transfo_1366405.jpg"
---

#  Black politics is redemption and transformation. It's not…

![“Black politics is redemption and transformation. It's not always pretty, but it's not always ugly either. I'll put India.Arie up against Donald Trump any day and let the people choose.” quote by Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/van-jones-984_black_black-politics-is-redemption-and-transfo_1366405.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/van-jones-984_black_black-politics-is-redemption-and-transfo_1366405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/van-jones-984_black_black-politics-is-redemption-and-transfo_1366405.jpg)

> “Black politics is redemption and transformation. It's not always pretty, but it's not always ugly either. I'll put India.Arie up against Donald Trump any day and let the people choose.”

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Political change requires both moral renewal and practical reform, acknowledging complexity without idealizing.

**In simple terms:** Redemption and transformation in politics are messy but possible.

Key Takeaway

Seek balanced, honest political engagement.

Themes

politics redemption transformation complexity truth

Mood

thoughtful hopeful

Type

political inspirational

When to use this quote

- elections
- community organizing
- media analysis

Key Concepts

social justice policy change public discourse

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we measure true political redemption?
- What compromises are necessary for transformation?

A Different Perspective

Idealistic narratives can oversimplify systemic issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-politics-1655484/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india-arie-422176/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-redemption-4692937/) [Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption/) [Transformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformation/) [Transformation Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformation-pretty-4692938/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/)

## Related quotes

> [Black Realism or cosmopolitan black politician is a code word to say this is a black person that is not tied to a civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-dawson/black-realism-or-cosmopolitan-black-politician-is-a-code-word-to-say/)

[Michael C Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-dawson/)

> [The crisis of black politics can only be resolved through the development of multiclass, multiracial, progressive political structures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/the-crisis-of-black-politics-can-only-be-resolved-through-the/)

[Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/)

> [I was exposed to a lot of OutKast, Timbaland, Eminem, and my mom introduced me to India.Arie and Erykah Badu, so I guess I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravyn-lenae/i-was-exposed-to-a-lot-of-outkast-timbaland-eminem-and-my-mom/)

[Ravyn Lenae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravyn-lenae/)

> [I met India Arie, who is one of my favorite artists of all time. It was really sweet; I was broken up with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-grande/i-met-india-arie-who-is-one-of-my-favorite-artists-of-all-time-it-was/)

[Ariana Grande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-grande/)

> [One thing that is constantly on my iPod is India Arie - I like her a lot; I listen to her a lot. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/one-thing-that-is-constantly-on-my-ipod-is-india-arie-i-like-her-a/)

[Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/)

> [When you find your definitions in God, you find the very purpose for which you were created. Put your hand into God's hand, know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/when-you-find-your-definitions-in-god-you-find-the-very-purpose-for/)

[Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/)

> [“God is not interested in parts of you, for having a part will never change the whole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/god-is-not-interested-in-parts-of-you-for-having-a-part-will-never/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [“In a world of change and decay not even the man of faith can be completely happy. Instinctively he seeks the unchanging and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer-3/in-a-world-of-change-and-decay-not-even-the-man-of-faith-can-be/)

[A W Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer-3/)

> [“He left the hearing feeling liberated, lighter, and more transparent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-critchlow/he-left-the-hearing-feeling-liberated-lighter-and-more-transparent/)

[George Critchlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-critchlow/)

> [“God could learn a little about love and morality from us. If there’s anyone who needs redemption, it’s God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-kain/god-could-learn-a-little-about-love-and-morality-from-us-if-there-s/)

[Logan Kain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-kain/)

> [We need to incorporate that age-old concept of redemption into the work that we do in the criminal justice system in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-need-to-incorporate-that-age-old-concept-of-redemption-into-the/)

[Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/)

> [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/)

[Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/)

> [“It's hard to know, isn't it, whether the things we face are just because the world is full of sin and sinful people, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-goyer/it-s-hard-to-know-isn-t-it-whether-the-things-we-face-are-just/)

[Tricia Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-goyer/)

> [If you're white and you're wrong, then you're wrong; if you're black and you're wrong, you're wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/if-you-re-white-and-you-re-wrong-then-you-re-wrong-if-you-re-black/)

[Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/)

> [“I’m not trying to save you from yourself. I’m trying to help you save yourself from yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-m-not-trying-to-save-you-from-yourself-i-m-trying-to-help-you-save/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

## More by Van Jones

> [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-should-be-leading-the-world-in-green-and-clean-solutions-and/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [ I learned more in those six months \[ in the White House\] than in the prior six years. I don't think that anybody who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-learned-more-in-those-six-months-in-the-white-house-than-in-the/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [Most green-collar jobs are middle-skill jobs. That means they require more education that a high-school diploma, but less than a four-year degree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/most-green-collar-jobs-are-middle-skill-jobs-that-means-they-require/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [ \[Donald Trump\] is a horrible human being, but he ain't worse than Bull Connor. Fannie Lou loved Bull Connor and beat Bull Connor because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/donald-trump-is-a-horrible-human-being-but-he-ain-t-worse-than-bull/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [The government built the grid to favor one industry over others. But I don't hear any conservatives screaming about that. Folks don't understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-government-built-the-grid-to-favor-one-industry-over-others-but-i/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [Keith Ellison is an organizer's organizer.He's one of the only Muslims in Congress, so you have a big statement there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/keith-ellison-is-an-organizer-s-organizer-he-s-one-of-the-only/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [Everybody should be mad but anger only takes you so far. At some point, you'll have outrage fatigue and burn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/everybody-should-be-mad-but-anger-only-takes-you-so-far-at-some-point/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [We have to accept that some very toxic stuff was marbled into the Trump phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/we-have-to-accept-that-some-very-toxic-stuff-was-marbled-into-the/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [I'm the guy that's trying to break up that monopoly to introduce free enterprise and competition to the energy sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-the-guy-that-s-trying-to-break-up-that-monopoly-to-introduce-free/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [I think that America could not become America until it dealt with the disenfranchisement of women and African Americans in the last century. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-think-that-america-could-not-become-america-until-it-dealt-with-the/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [I'm learning and changing all the time, and I expect to continue doing so my entire life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-learning-and-changing-all-the-time-and-i-expect-to-continue-doing/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

[Explore all 314 Van Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

## More Black quotes

> [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/)

[Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/)

> [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/)

[Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/)

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/)

[Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/)

> [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/)

[Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/)

> [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/)

[Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/)

> [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/)

[Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/)

> [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/)

[Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/)

> [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/)

[R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/)

> [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/)

[John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/)

> [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/)

[Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/)

> [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/)

[Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/)

[Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Black politics is redemption and transformation. It's not always pretty, but it's not always ugly either. I'll put India.Arie up against Donald Trump any day and let the people choose.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Van Jones"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/black-politics-is-redemption-and-transformation-it-s-not-always/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Black"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/black-politics-is-redemption-and-transformation-it-s-not-always/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/van-jones-984_black_black-politics-is-redemption-and-transfo_1366405.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/van-jones-984_black_black-politics-is-redemption-and-transfo_1366405.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/van-jones-984_black_black-politics-is-redemption-and-transfo_1366405.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Black politics is redemption and transformation. It's not always pretty, but it's not always ugly either…” — Van Jones",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Van Jones",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Black politics is redemption and transformation....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/black-politics-is-redemption-and-transformation-it-s-not-always/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/black-politics-is-redemption-and-transformation-it-s-not-always/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
