Meek Mill and JAY-Z are joining forces to fix the broken justice system with a new organization.
The hip-hop superstars appeared on stage in New York on Wednesday (Jan. 23), alongside New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin, and political activist Van Jones, to announce the launch of the REFORM Alliance.
The organization consists of leaders in business, government, entertainment, sports, technology, arts, and culture, whose goal is to shine a light on social and racial inequalities within the system and “give voice to the voiceless.”
“The mission of the REFORM Alliance is to dramatically reduce the number of people who are unjustly under the control of the criminal justice system—starting with probation and parole,” reads a tweet from REFORM. “To win, we will leverage our considerable resources to change laws, policies, hearts & minds.”
The mission of the REFORM Alliance is to dramatically reduce the number of people who are unjustly under the control of the criminal justice system – starting with probation and parole. To win, we will leverage our considerable resources to change laws, policies, hearts & minds.
— REFORM ALLIANCE (@REFORM) January 23, 2019
We are bringing together leaders in business, government, entertainment, sports, technology, art, and culture to give voice to the voiceless. We won’t stop until we’ve changed the laws, policies, and practices that perpetuate the horrific injustice we’re seeing in America.
— REFORM ALLIANCE (@REFORM) January 23, 2019
Meek, who was released from prison last April after spending five months behind bars following a probation violation, spoke about his experiences with the system and his desire to help others.
“Every time I started to further my life with the music industry, from traveling the world, performing worldwide, and actually making money to be able to provide for my family and take them out of that ruthless environment—every year there was something that brought me back to ground zero, and it was probation,” said the Philly rapper. “I always wondered what happened to the people that was in situations worse than mine.”
"I'm here to speak for all the people who don't have a voice."@MeekMill announces the launch of @REFORM Alliance, a new criminal justice reform organization: "I got caught up in the system … and I always wondered what happened to people in situations worse than mine" pic.twitter.com/MiKIBqf1kp
— Deena Zeina Zaru
(@Deena_Zaru) January 23, 2019
JAY-Z applauded Meek for bringing attention to criminal justice reform, and shared his own experience growing up in Marcy Projects. “I grew up with this issue and seeing people way worse off than me,” he said, adding, “We’re all prisoners to this because until everyone’s free, no one’s free.”
Jay-Z applauds @MeekMill's activism and says the attention that Meek brought to the issue of criminal justice reform "sparked the match for the nation."
"We're all prisoners to this because until everyone's free, no one's free," Jay-Z says at the launch of @REFORM pic.twitter.com/diEX6I7ppo
— Deena Zeina Zaru
Robert Kraft recalled his visit to Meek in prison, which changed his perspective. “I didn’t sleep the rest of the night when I went home because here I’m thinking how out of touch someone like myself is with what’s really going on,” said the Patriots owner.
Robert Kraft on how @MeekMill changed his views on prison reform: "I had never been to jail before and going there and seeing him, I didn't sleep the rest of the night when I went home because here I thought how out of touch someone like myself is with what's really going on" pic.twitter.com/vEMHbGsTiz
— Deena Zeina Zaru
Michael Rubin also revealed how Meek taught him that there are “two Americas” after witnessing him get sentenced to 2-4 years behind bars. In that moment, he realized that he was “dead wrong” about the criminal justice system.
In a passionate speech announcing the launch of @REFORM, @MichaelGRubin explains how @MeekMill taught him that there are "two Americas" and how Rubin was "dead wrong" for thinking the criminal justice system "worked great."
Meek showed him how badly it needs to be reformed pic.twitter.com/gFIU9LfnWz
— Deena Zeina Zaru
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