Source: Mike Lawrence / Courtesy
The man known for being a DreamChaser recently made some other people’s dreams come true. According to the REFORM Alliance, Meek Mill paid bail for 20 women over the weekend so that they could spend the holidays with their families. The women, who weren’t able to afford bail themselves, were incarcerated at Riverside Correctional Facility in Philadelphia.
Five of the women were released Saturday (December 24) and the other 15 will be released throughout this week. Each woman will also receive a gift card to purchase groceries or gifts for the holidays, says REFORM.
The REFORM Alliance is an non-profit organization launched in 2019 by Meek Mill, Jay-Z and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin. The organization is dedicated to probation, parole, and sentencing reform in the United States through legislation and lobbying. Meek has long been a loud advocate for criminal justice reforms. The REFORM Alliance came to be after he was sentenced to two to four years in prison in 2017 for a parole violation. After an explosive social media movement dubbed #FreeMeekMill started, he was freed after spending five months in prison for the violation.
Meek’s donation stemmed from his own personal experiences with the criminal justice system.
“It was devastating for me to be away from my son during the holidays when I was incarcerated, so I understand what these women and their families are going through,” said the Philadelphia native.
“For families impacted by the criminal justice system, the holidays can be an extremely challenging time,” Meek Mill continued. “No one should have to spend the holidays in jail simply because they can’t afford bail, and no child should be without their parents during this time if we can do something about it.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to help these women be with their families and loved ones during this special time of year.”
Data from the Philadelphia government states that there were a total of 4,546 people incarcerated in Philadelphia prisons as of November 2022. Of that number, around 6.4% of that group are women. Shouts out to Meek and the whole REFORM Alliance team for using their platform to make a difference!
