Kim Kardashian is all for fairness and equity when it comes to reward for labor!
“The Kardashians” star has lent her voice to a bill that would ensure that the firefighters who fought day and night to quench the destructive Pacific Palisades wildfire early last year get duly compensated for their courageous service.
Kim Kardashian earned her share of backlash last year, first for promoting a SKIMS sale in the heart of the wildfire crisis and then for urging higher wages, which some critics think would make the issue political at such a sensitive period.
Kim Kardashian Is On A Personal Mission With The Legislative Process
The business mogul is fully backing and endorsing the new bill introduced by Senator Cory Booker this week, which would ensure that firefighters who work from prison would get a minimum wage. According to Kardashian, her interest grew in the case because she watched prisoners put their all into fighting the Los Angeles fires last year.
The bill was reintroduced by the democrat on Thursday, March 19, and it would require that prisoners who are working get to earn the minimum wage through amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act. This bill will also eliminate outrageous deductions for fees, fines, and living costs in prisons.
Kardashian explained why she joined the movement, stating that the firefighters whom she personally watched risk their lives to curb the spread showed so much bravery and courage, just like professional firefighters, but earned less pay. “In many cases, they’re banned from even applying for firefighting jobs once they’re released. That’s not just unfair, it’s un-American,” the media personality declared, as shared by PEOPLE.
The SKIMS Founder Approached Governor Gavin Newsom For A Raise In Wages Last Year
As the fire raged deeper into the area, Kardashian hopped online and called for more recognition and higher pay for the heroes who braved the fiery furnace and helped families survive loss and destruction. As noted by The Blast, the reality star took to Instagram to tag Governor Newsom about reviewing and raising wages for these incarcerated people on the frontline of the rescue mission.
The mother-of-four declared that the inmates worked grueling hours under harsh weather and living conditions, only to earn less than $1 hour, which is nothing compared to such a large-scale disaster.
According to reports, nearly 1,000 inmates assisted in combating the wildfires, which they claimed had already burned over 40,000 acres and killed about 16 people. However, no inmate firefighters have lost their lives in the process of saving affected persons.
Kim Kardashian Angered Critics For SKIMS Promotion During The Fire Incident
Before her advocacy, the 45-year-old was slammed for promoting a big sale for her SKIMS line while the fire broke out. Meredith Lynch was at the forefront of the criticism, dragging the entrepreneur on her Instagram for telling people to buy SKIMS while families and lives were being displaced and destroyed.
Lynch continued that Kardashian could have used a platform as big as hers to provide resources and raise awareness about the fires, but is hell-bent on using it to sell her products. The fire also threatened Kardashian’s expansive $70 million Malibu mansion right by the ocean.
The property was previously owned by supermodel Cindy Crawford and her husband, Rande Gerber. As for her Hidden Hills property, the star reportedly exited her home, alongside the rest of her family, after receiving a mandatory evacuation order due to the fire’s rapid spread.
The Fashion Icon Debunked Emails Asking For Financial Aid For Victims
The star certainly had her hands full during such a trying period in the city, as she took the time out to warn internet users and fans about scammers using her name in emails for false fundraisers. She explained that such a scam may claim they want to raise funds to support affected families and victims of the wildfires, which she endorsed.
She uploaded a sample picture of one of the numerous scam emails going around with her name on it, warning her followers to verify links before donating to anyone. The Blast noted that the reality star also praised the firefighters for staying up all night long to help families affected by the fire and save the community.
The Los Angeles wildfires, which began last January, consumed over 40,000 acres of land in the Southern part of Los Angeles, with more than 200,000 persons evacuated as efforts were made to rein in the spread. The fire affected homes of celebrities like Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, Tina Knowles, John Goodman, Candy Spelling, Milo Ventimiglia, and Miles Teller, alongside 12,000 other structures.
Kim Kardashian’s Sister Called For Donations Amid The Fires
While the entrepreneur did not earn good points for how she handled the aftermath of the outbreak, her younger sister, Khloé Kardashian, joined her 300k+ followers to make a difference in the heart of the crisis.
Khloé hopped online to speak out on behalf of the victims and firefighters, noting that a neighbor of hers was in direct contact with fire department officials who shared that the firefighters are desperate, hungry, and tired.
The Good American founder also provided actionable ways to help the victims, encouraging them to support their local fire stations by dropping off supplies like protein-packed meals, Gatorade, and coffee.
The mother-of-two attached her neighbor’s Venmo details to one of her posts, revealing that if anyone was interested in donating to them, they could proceed as he would be heading to Costco to pick up rotisserie chickens and sides to deliver to several stations.
Will Kim Kardashian see this through and add it to her long list of advocacy successes?