CNN’s original series, “The Redemption Project with Van Jones,” explores the transformative power of forgiveness, grace, and redemption.

Van Jones is the author of three NYT best-selling books.  In addition to producing, “The Redemption Project,” he has founded and led numerous social enterprises engaged in social justice including #cut 50 which bring together unlikely allies—formerly and currently incarcerated individuals, community members, crime survivors, local elected officials, and law enforcement.  

About “The Redemption Project with Van Jones”

Offering a rare glimpse into the restorative justice process, each episode of “The Redemption Project with Van Jones” follows the victim—or surviving family members—of a life-altering crime as they journey to meet face-to-face with their offender in the hopes of finding answers or some sense of healing.  Van Jones serves as a guide for the viewer throughout this transformational experience, taking them through preliminary interviews with the victim–or surviving family members—and the offender, all the way through the actual face-to-face meeting.

In, “A Mother’s Justice” – which airs May 19 – viewers are introduced to Terria Walters, whose son Christopher was murdered while buying drugs from Joshua B.

In Terria’s conversations with Van Jones, viewers learn about her own dysfunctional background and what it took for her to climb out of addiction. Today, Terria is an advocate for drug users. Viewers learn about her son, Christopher, and what happened to make a model student turn to abusing drugs; and they learn about his murder during a drug deal.

Van Jones also talks with Joshua B.  Viewers hear about his background, which he describes as happy, well-adjusted, and loving. He shares about what led to his first of many prison sentences and how he became a drug user while in prison. He also talks about the night that Christopher was killed.

The show takes viewers into the emotional meeting between Terria and Joshua, as they talk about Christopher’s murder. There are many true-crime shows about what happens when a drug deal turns ends in murder. This show goes beyond the heartache; the meeting between Terria and Joshua was raw, but it was also transformative and encouraging.

“The Redemption Project with Van Jones,” debuts on CNN Sunday, April 28.