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Audience at Van Jones speech, People's Summit 2017. National Nurses United

CHICAGO In remarks to thousands at the Peoples Summit here June 10, Van Jones said Progressives are too often absent where some of the worse pain is present.

The popular leader of the Dream Corp, now a TV personality, talked about his recent experiences backing coal miners who have been cheated out of their pensions and healthcare benefits. Most of those miners had voted for Trump.

They descended daily, miles down into these deep black holes where they knew their bodies would break but they did it because in exchange they are getting a modest paycheck to feed their families, and they expected that in their sick old age they would at least be able to afford some reasonable health care, Jones explained.

He described how the same coal companies that poison the environment then reneged on their promises to these miners taking away their pensions and healthcare.

So I took the opportunity to go to coal country to demonstrate in support of these miners, thinking that as a life long demonstrator and marcher Id have something to offer, Jones said. Ive done a lot of chanting and singing in my life, he added.

He described how he tried to start a chant: There aint no power like the power of the people cause the power of the people dont stop! He tried three times, no one picked it up, and then the wife of a miner tapped him on the elbow.

Dont feel bad Mr. Jones, it isnt you. They are glad you are here. Its them. They cant chant, they cant sing, they can hardly talk or breathe sometimes. They have black lung disease.

We have to be there for Black Lives Matter and we have to be there for Latinos in Florida when attempts to block their right to vote are underway. But we also have to be there for those miners in West Virginia. When we fought alongside of them we won back some of the healthcare and pension benefits for 20,000 of them.

I may not like how you voted but you are my brother and I dont want you to die. By sticking together all of us will win.

The hall rose to its feet in continuous and sustained applause.

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Van Jones at People's Summit: Progressives must engage Trump voters - People's World