Rapper Meek Mill has paid bail for 20 women so they can spend the holidays at home, according to the REFORM Alliance, an organization he founded in 2019 with Jay-Z.
According to a REFORM Alliance Instagram post, the women have been detained at the Riverside Correctional Facility in Philadelphia and cannot afford to be released on bail.
The nonprofit said five of these women were released on Saturday and another 15 will be released next week. Each woman will also receive a gift card “for groceries or holiday gifts.”
Meek Mill said the donation was informed by his personal experience with the criminal justice system.
“It was terrible to be away from my son on vacation while I was in custody, so I understand what these women and their families are going through,” the rapper said in another Instagram post from REFORM. Alliance.
Meek Mill continues: “For families affected by the criminal justice system, the holidays can be an extremely difficult time. “No one has to spend days off in prison just because they can’t afford bail, and no child has to live without a parent during this time if we can do something about it.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to help these women be with their families and loved ones during this special time of year.”
Meek Mill founded the Reform Coalition in 2019 along with a group of other business and sports leaders. According to the organization’s website, the organization “aims to transform probation and parole by changing laws, systems, and cultures to create real pathways to work and welfare.” “.
The Philadelphia native has been a strong advocate of criminal justice reforms. An explosive social media movement called #FreeMeekMill began after he was sentenced to two to four years in prison in 2017 for violating parole. He was released from prison after serving 5 months in prison for the offence.
There were a total of 4,546 people incarcerated in Philadelphia prisons as of November 2022, according to data from Philadelphia authorities. About 6.4% of that group are women.
