"I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future"

This quote by Van Jones speaks to the significance of focusing on the future instead of dwelling on the past. He is suggesting that it is not efficient to ask his coworkers to invest their time and energy protecting or describing his past. Rather, he believes that everybody must be focused on the future and collaborating to make it a better location. He is highlighting the value of cooperation and unity in order to attain success. By acknowledging the importance of the future, he is motivating everybody to put aside their differences and interact to create a better tomorrow. This quote is a pointer that the future is what matters most which we should all be collaborating to make it a reality.