Rapper JT of the City Girls is helping formerly incarcerated women access therapy, housing assistance, addiction treatment, and more with the launch of a new non-profit initiative.
On July 14, JT launched the No Bars Reform initiative, which was created as a way for her to “use her voice and platform to help other incarcerated women rehabilitate into society,” according to the official website.
The 30-year-old Miami rapper was sentenced to two years in federal prison in 2018 on credit card fraud charges. She was released in late 2019 and has been vocal about sharing some of the challenges she has faced after incarceration.
A statement on the website reads, “After spending almost two years in a Florida prison before being released in 2020, JT has vowed to use her voice and platform to help other incarcerated women rehabilitate into society by assisting with resources such as therapy, job placement, social services, and housing.”
The No Bars Reform website includes user-friendly links to essential resources such as employment assistance, therapy, substance abuse help, and housing support.
According to The Sentencing Project, “The number of incarcerated women increased by more than 525%, rising from a total of 26,326 in 1980 to 168,449 in 2021. While 2020 saw a substantial downsizing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this trend reversed with a 10% increase in 2021.”
Coinciding with the No Bars Reform launch, the “Act Up” rapper dropped her latest solo song, “No Bars,” on Friday, July 14. JT described the track as a “freestyle made in the studio when [she] was having one of those days.”
“At the time, like most of the time, people were doubting me and questioning why wasn’t I as visual and vocal as others! Not knowing me personally…I hope this freestyle finds you in a great place and is a start of the respect I deserve in music,” the rapper said in a statement on the website.”