WASHINGTON: Reality television star Kim Kardashian West announced a new initiative aimed at helping former prisoners get jobs on her recent visit to the White House.
“These people want to work they want the best outcome,” West told the crowd in the East Room.
“We have a ride-share partnership where formerly incarcerated people will be gifted gift cards so that they can get rides to and from job interviews, to and from jobs, family members, and that is so important, so needed,” she added, while announcing the new initiative as a part of efforts to help inmates leaving prisons to lead a comfortable life.
The 38-year-old star has been an advocate for criminal justice reform issues.
According to People, President of the United States of America, Donald Trump acknowledged West for her role in advocating the passage of the First Step Act which focused on sentencing reforms and expansion of programs focusing on helping ex-prisoners with job-training.
The Act was signed into legislation in December 2018.
“I’d like to invite up a very special guest, and a powerful advocate for not only justice reform, but just a good person and I hear she’s starting to study law, she’s also one of the most successful people in the entertainment business, soon she’ll be one of the most successful lawyers,” President Trump said introducing Kardashian West.
“But I knew her father and I’ll tell you, she’s got good genes, good genes for everything. She’s been a real friend and her husband has been a real friend of mine. Kim Kardashian West,” he added.
Kardashian West’s petition to commute the life-sentence of drug-offender Alice Marie Johnson was granted by President Trump in June 2018. Johnson was released on parole after serving 21 years in prison. PTI