‘We are consciously co-parenting’: CNN commentator and divorced dad-of-two Van Jones, 53, decides to have a baby with LA County prison inspector FRIEND – not lover – and says, ‘I hope its a concept more will explore and consider’
- Van Jones said he has welcomed home a new baby daughter that he will co-parent with female friend Noemi Zamacona
- Jones said he realized he wanted to raise another child during the pandemic lockdown and learned Zamacona also wanted a baby
- Zamacona is a long-time friend who works at the Los Angeles County Inspector General’s Office who shares an interest in criminal justice advocacy with Jones
- Sources said the two came into an agreement to raise a child over dinner
- Jones already has two children with his ex-wife, Jana Carter
CNN commentator Van Jones has welcomed home a new baby daughter with a female friend after the two decided to become ‘conscious co-parents’ over a ‘friendly meal.’
Sources told TMZ that the co-parent was Noemi Zamacona, a woman who Jones has a platonic relationship with and that they both share an interest in criminal justice advocacy. Zamacoma works as a prisons inspector for Los Angeles County, with the new baby girl her first child.
Jones, 53, who already has a daughter called Mattai and son, Cabral, with ex-wife Jana Carter, told TMZ that he realized he wanted to raise another child after the pandemic lockdown.
‘I got clear that I wanted another kid. I discovered that my friend Noemi also wanted a baby,’ he said. ‘So, we decided to join forces and become conscious co-parents. It’s a concept that I hope more people will explore and consider.’
CNN commentator Van Jones will raise his new baby daughter with a platonic female friend
TMZ identified the mother as Noemi Zamacona (above), who hatched the plan together with Jones during dinner after they both learned they wanted to raise a baby
Jones, 53, already has two children with his ex-wife, Jana Carter (pictured)
Zamacona works as a monitor at the Los Angeles County Inspector General’s Office and has dedicated the last 12 years of her career addressing criminal justice reform. She previously worked as a death penalty mitigation specialist in Riverside County, California.
‘It’s a very modern arrangement,’ one source close to Jones said. ‘They’re not a couple, but they are a team that wants to raise a kid together.’
Jones, whose former wife filed for divorce in September 2018, with the separation finalized in June 2019, confirmed that his new daughter was born in February and that he was excited to raise her together with Zamacona.
‘This is a special time for our families. I feel grateful, joyful and blessed,’ he said.
‘As we create a safe and loving environment for this blessed young soul, I respectfully ask for privacy. Thank you for all the love and support.’
After splitting with Carter in 2018, the couple insisted the end of their marriage had come to an amicable end as a result of a personal ‘evolution.’
They told People: ‘Though we have decided to end our marriage, we still love each other very much.
‘We will continue raising our kids together, running our businesses together and supporting each other’s growth. There is no beef or drama — just evolution.’
The couple later filed for joint custody of their children.
Platonic co-parenting, different from when two exes continue to raise their child, has been on the rise in the last decade, with many services popping up to meet the demand.
Zamacona works as a monitor at the Los Angeles County Inspector General’s Office
Modamily, a parent-matching service that launched in Los Angeles in 2012, has about 30,000 members across the world.
Coparent.co.uk, which launched in Europe in 2008, has more than 120,000 members worldwide.
While co-parenting was predominantly done between gay individuals or between a gay man and straight woman in the past, the majority of people who use co-parenting services now are straight individuals, The Guardian reported.