Meek Mill’s fight for criminal justice reform continues

Meek Mill, who was born and raised in Philadelphia, never went to an Eagles game as a kid, much less threw footballs inside the team’s practice field.

Given the chance to show off his arm, the 35-year-old rapper and philanthropist lined up some area kids and had them go deep on the same field where the top team in the NFL drills. To thunderous applause, Meek Mill short-armed a shaky pass that flew about 20 yards and was caught in by a youngster.

Saying that, Jalen Hurts’ position is secure.

“He’s almost as unathletic as I am,” Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin ridiculed Meek.

Tuesday, Meek Mill and Rubin laughed together at a gathering planned to make the day brighter for kids from families involved with the criminal justice system. Rubin co-founded the Reform Alliance, a non-profit organization devoted to probation, parole, and sentencing reform in the United States, and he recently relinquished his ownership interest in the Philadelphia 76ers. The organization’s co-chairman is Meek Mill, whose well-publicized prison term for trivial probation violations became a focal point for the problem.

After a court in Pennsylvania sentenced him to two to four years in jail for breaking the terms of his probation in a case involving the possession of a gun and drugs ten years prior, the case caught the attention of campaigners for criminal justice reform. He spent months behind bars before a judge ordered his release in 2018. After successfully resuming his music career, Meek Mill recently performed a concert to commemorate his debut album “Dreams And Nightmares” 10th anniversary. In recent years, he has become a popular opening act, singing the theme song and the underdog anthem before Eagles games and at the World Series.

“I’ve got purpose on top of everything I’m doing,” Meek Mill said. “Before I went to prison, of course I was famous, of course I was making money feeding my family, but the purpose I have now, it actually started from the way people supported me.”

Rubin and Meek Mill became friends, and the businessman worked with Meek Mill to get him out of jail. While Meek Mill was incarcerated in 2017, protesters, celebrities, and activists pushed for his release.

“When I seen that with my own eyes, that type of support, which I never had in my life, I wanted to make sure I give that same support back to the world,” Meek Mill said in an interview with The Associated Press.

He is no longer subject to the judicial supervision that he had throughout the majority of his adult life. He was born Robert Rihmeek Williams.

To their credit, the rapper and the businessman have persisted in calling for criminal justice reform even after Meek Mill was freed from prison. According to the Reform Alliance, the organization was behind 16 bills that were passed in 10 states and changed the probation and parole regulations. Meek Mill received recognition for his work as a singer and an advocate for criminal justice reform in his hometown of Philadelphia in 2019.

“We’ve actually created a pathway for 650,000 people to get out of the system already,” Rubin said. “And we’re just getting started. It’s hard to make change.”

Meek Mill interacted with 35 children, posed for pictures, and participated in combine workouts together with players of the Eagles such as Darius Slay, Jordan Mailata, coach Nick Sirianni, and general manager Howie Roseman. With the team, the youngsters signed honorary one-day contracts.

“You’re all 12-1 for the day,” Sirianni said.

The kids walked across the street to the Wells Fargo Center where they grilled Doc Rivers, the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, on several basketball-related subjects. Steph Curry or Allen Iverson? Which athlete is your favorite? However, there were more serious questions regarding how to obtain internships and how to persevere in a life that can be full of challenges.

“You have the right to happiness and to smile and do everything you want in life,” Rivers told the kids. “These people here, Meek, Michael and everybody back here are here to tell you that there’s people in your corner. We’re going to fight for you. Fight for your families to make sure that one of you may be sitting here some day giving the same speech. Or one of you can be a doctor, a lawyer, an athlete. Whatever you want.”

While serving almost three years in prison, Megan Parke gave birth to her son Amir. The family relocated to Lancaster, Pennsylvania after she was set free when he was 2 12 years old. In Pennsylvania, a technical violation implies that a probationer has specifically broken one of the conditions of their probation plan. Parke was on probation and was given this penalty. Parke said she was fortunate the judge did not send her back to prison and that she still had two years left on probation. She claimed that Reform had provided her with resources that might help her and her case if issues arose in the future.

“That’s him right there,” she said, pointing at the 5-year-old boy running around the NFL complex. “He’s just so excited. These days just really mean a lot.”

For Meek Mill, it’s about those memories in part. When he was younger, he did not watch Eagles games, although he did go to a recording of “ The Randall Cunningham Show.”

“That was a highlight I’ll remember forever,” Meek Mill said. “With kids, I’m always doubling back, make sure I touch back to the people just like myself.”