Political commentator Van Jones and a longtime friend have welcomed a baby to the world after deciding to become “conscious co-parents” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jones, 53, told TMZ he devised the plan with his friend, named Noemi Zamacona according to sources, after the two realized their desire for another child was mutual.
“After the COVID lockdown, I got clear that I wanted another kid,” Jones said. “I discovered that my friend Noemi also wanted a baby. So, we decided to join forces and become conscious co-parents.”
The CNN contributor added that he hopes the idea will highlight another form of parenting for others to “explore and consider” if it appeals to them.
“This month we welcomed to Earth a baby girl, whom we will raise as co-parenting partners,” Jones continued. “This is a special time for our families. I feel grateful, joyful and blessed.”
TMZ reported that Jones and Zamacona’s friendship blossomed years ago through a shared interest in criminal justice advocacy, and the two eventually decided to embark on their co-parenting journey after a conversation over a meal.
A source told the outlet that the pair currently have a progressive relationship that isn’t definitively romantic, but instead functions more like a “team.”
“It’s a very modern arrangement,” the source said. “They’re not a couple, but they are a team that wants to raise a kid together.”
The newborn, whose name is yet to be announced, is Jones’ third child, and is reportedly Zamacona’s first, per TMZ.
“As we create a safe and loving environment for this blessed young soul, I respectfully ask for privacy,” Jones said. “Thank you for all the love and support.”
Best known as a broadcaster, Jones’ efforts in criminal justice reform include founding the REFORM Alliance, a nonprofit lobbying for changes in probation, parole, and sentencing practices.
Jones additionally co-founded #cut50, a bipartisan coalition dedicated to ending mass incarceration. That coalition has put him side by side with everyone from entertainers like Kim Kardashian, Jay-Z and Meek Mill, to formerly incarcerated activists such as Louis Reid and Topeka Sam.
In August, Jones denounced rumors of a romantic relationship with Kardashian which began circulating after Jones was said to have mentored the reality star in her efforts to become a criminal justice lawyer.
While the two may not be a couple, Jones has never made his fondness for Kardashian a secret and during a 2021 interview with Ellen DeGeneres, he waxed poetic about what a great attorney he thinks she’ll be.
“I think she’s going to be an unbelievable attorney and I think she’s one of the best advocates that we have,” Jones opined while discussing Kardashian’s current law studies.
“She has used her platform to help people behind bars. Her dad [the late Robert Kardashian Sr.] was a lawyer, and she always wanted to be a lawyer,” Jones added. “When she got a taste of what she could do using her platform, using her brain, she hasn’t let up.”
theGrio’s Natasha S. Alford contributed to this report.
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