Kim Kardashian unveiled a new plan to help former prisoners find jobs, and we respect her social justice hustle

Over the past year, we’ve been impressed with Kim Kardashian West’s commitment to criminal justice reform. She not only helped convince President Donald Trump to pardon Alice Marie Johnson, but also fought for better conditions for female prisoners in California. In April, she took her legal advocacy a step further and started studying law. And it seems like she’s only getting started. Yesterday, June 13th, she made a surprise appearance at the White House to announce a new ride-sharing program to benefit former prisoners.

USA Today reports that Kardashian West spoke at a White House event focused on second-chance hiring and re-entry for formerly incarcerated people. The lawyer-in-training explained that the program, in partnership with Lyft, will provide gift cards to formerly incarcerated people so that they can pay for transportation to job interviews.

"I think the ultimate goal is everyone wants the community to be safe," she told the audience, "and the more opportunity that we have and that they have and the support that we help give them, the safer everyone will be, and the recidivism rate will continue to just get lower."

Before the event, Kardashian West teased her announcement on Twitter, sharing a video of her en route to the White House.

Second Chance Hiring & Re-entry event at the White House today pic.twitter.com/kEUgqITmIE

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) June 13, 2019

She later tweeted that, while pushing for the First Step Act in 2018, she became aware of how many obstacles formerly incarcerated people faced when returning home.

"While I have been able to offer support to some of the individuals I have met, the obstacles to success are an everyday struggle for thousands and more needs to be done," she wrote. "Today, I’m honored to be a part of the announcement that the administration and the private sector are stepping up to create opportunities for these men and women to succeed once home."

Since the passage of the First Step Act in December, I’ve been speaking with people coming home from prison and learning about the challenges they are facing.

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) June 13, 2019

While I have been able to offer support to some of the individuals I have met, the obstacles to success are an everyday struggle for thousands and more needs to be done.

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) June 13, 2019

Today, I’m honored to be a part of the announcement that the administration and the private sector are stepping up to create opportunities for these men and women to succeed once home.

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) June 13, 2019

According to The New York Times, Trump promised at yesterday’s event that the Bureau of Prisons would work to make sure there were jobs available for those released through the First Step Act, which he passed in December. A June report from the U.S. Sentencing Commission notes that 1,051 incarcerated people have had their sentences reduced under the act.

Of course, the criminal justice system is still in dire need of reform, but we’re glad to see Kardashian West continuing to work toward this goal.