Kim Kardashian West at the White House to announce ride-share program for ex prisoners
Reality star-turned-activist Kim Kardashian West was back at the White House Thursday.
The law student made an unannounced appearance at an event to promote the hiring of ex prisoners so they are able to return to the workforce.
After President Donald Trump made his remarks, he introduced Kardashian West, who talked about her vocal support of criminal justice reform, saying at the start, "I wanted to make a difference and just wanted to do the right thing, but I didn't know how."
She went on to announce a new ride-share program with Lyft that will provide former prisoners with gift cards to use for transportation to job interviews, work and to visit family.
Proud to partner on this initiative with @Lyft, a company with a history of taking bold action to do what’s right for our community. Thank you for providing ride share credits to formally incarcerated people when they come home.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 13, 2019
Kardashian West said "the ultimate goal is everyone wants the community to be safe. And the more opportunity that … they (ex prisoners) have, and the support we help give them, the safer everyone will be."
Earlier in the day, Kardashian West tweeted a video of herself on the way to the event.
Second Chance Hiring & Re-entry event at the White House today pic.twitter.com/kEUgqITmIE
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 13, 2019
"I am heading to the White House to speak at the second-chance hiring and re-entry event," she said, adding in another tweet that she was "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."
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The "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star has met with President Donald Trump several times to talk about criminal justice reform issues, and successfully lobbied him to pardon Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving life without parole for drug offenses.
White House officials have been working to make sure that prisoners released early because of the First Step Act, signed into law late last year, have the tools and jobs they need to successfully adjust to life outside prison.
More than 1,000 federal inmates have had their sentences reduced because of the legislation, according to a recent report by the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
Contributing: The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kim Kardashian West at the White House to announce ride-share program for ex prisoners
