Kim Kardashian Lauds Incarcerated Firefighters Battling California Wildfires, Demands Higher Pay

Over the past several years, Kim Kardashian has helped push for criminal justice reform in the US. She has worked to free nonviolent offenders, partnered with Lyft to provide rides to soon-to-be-freed prisoners to job interviews, and more. And recently, Kim Kardashian lauded incarcerated firefighters battling California wildfires while also calling for them to receive higher pay.

Kim’s father, of course, was famed lawyer Robert Kardashian, known for helping to defend O.J. Simpson. But the SKIMs mogul has been working toward a law degree herself. She passed the “baby bar” exam in December 2021, completed an apprenticeship, and reportedly plans to take the bar exam in 2026.

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Amid the raging LA fires, Kim shared a reel highlighting some of the incarcerated firefighters battling the blazes.

On January 11, Kim shared a reel from the Anti-Recidivism Coalition to her Instagram Story. “Meet the incarcerated firefighters battling the LA fires,” the text on the clip read.

A man named Marc was featured first. “I’m here to put fires out, man, and protect structures and save lives,” he said.

“I’m actually very thankful for the opportunity I got,” said a different incarcerated firefighter named Benjamin. “You know, get my record expunged. Get my opportunity to build a strong foundation, you know. So I can advance in life so I can have a future. And not only me but for my kids.”

She also thanked all firefighters working to stop the raging wildfires.

“I have spent the last week watching my city burning. And have seen and spoken to many firefighters who are up all night long using every ounce of their strength to save our community,” Kim wrote in another Instagram Story segment.

She added, “Thank you to @calfire la County Fire and Los Angeles City Fire for everything you are doing to save lives, homes and property.”

 

 

 

Kim called the inmates fighting the fires 'heroes.'

In her Instagram Story, Kim explained that “hundreds of incarcerated firefighters” are “risking their lives to save us.”

“They are on the Palisades fire and Eaton fire in Pasadena working 24 hour shifts,” she added. “They get paid almost nothing, risk their lives, some have died, to prove to the community that they have changed and are now first responders. I see them as heroes.”

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She called on Governor Gavin Newsom to raise wages for incarcerated firefighters.

Additionally, the Hulu reality star noted that incarcerated firefighters are only paid $1 per hour – and they have been since 1984.

“It has never been raised with inflation,” she pointed out. “It’s never been raised when fires got worse and many died.”

Kim then called for California Governor Gavin Newsom to take action.

“This year there was an agreement to raise the incarcerated firefighter pay to $5/hour, but it got shot down last minute,” she continued in her post. “I’m urging @cagovernor to do what no Governor has done in 4 decades, and raise the incarcerated firefighter pay to a rate [that] honors a human being risking their life to save our lives and homes.”

Finally, she thanked the Ventura Training Center for 'saving my community.'

To end her January 11 updates, Kim thanked the Ventura Training Center for “saving my community when it started burning this week.”

“These are all FORMERLY incarcerated firefighters who have come home, and want to continue serving our community as firefighters. Due to bills passed by @antirecidivismcoalition, these guys can now get their sentences reduced, expunging the felonies from their records for their fire service. And when they come home can get six figure jobs working for fire departments.”