Jay-Z and Meek Mill have sent 100,000 masks to prisoners amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The rapping duo are heads of REFORM Alliance, an organization set up to reform the criminal justice system by changing laws and policies, and they have just donated 40,000 masks to Tennessee, 50,000 to Rikers Island and 5,000 to Parchman.
The rappers sent the masks to the vulnerable population to lessen the spread of corona as there have been a number of people who have been coming in and out of the facility.
CBS alliance chief advocacy officer said:
It’s a very vulnerable population. We’re really worried about the number of people coming in and out of the facility, and the fact that the people living there might be sitting ducks during this pandemic.
The organization are also calling for people to contact their local governors to try and support those in prison.
They shared on their website:
COVID-19 spreads most quickly in crowded and closed environments, and our jails and prisons are at high risk for an outbreak. This is a huge threat to public health. Right now, hardly any government officials have a plan to address this crisis. REFORM does. We have worked with experts and advocates from across the political aisle to develop a set of common-sense recommendations that would make us all SAFER. We urgently need your help to get the attention of public officials. Please raise your voice. We’re all in this together.
According to Vulture:
The Reform Alliance, is an initiative focused on overhauling the probation and parole system with the goal of freeing at least 1 million people caught up in the system within the next five years.
Both Jay-Z and Mill have been outspoken in their advocacy for criminal justice reform.
(H/T The Sauce)