A Conversation With Jesse Jackson, Founder and President, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition The Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. is one of America’s foremost civil rights, religious and political figures. Over the past 40 years, he has played a pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice. Currently, Jackson is speaking out about a lack of diversity in Silicon Valley. He talks with Platform founder Hank Williams about what needs to happen to close the gap.