Liberation through Reading & Writing: The Language of Justice with Reginald Dwayne Betts

Jan 1

Kristine Michie - Playfull Podcast Interview - Reginald Dwayne Betts

Liberation through Reading & Writing: The Language of Justice with Reginald Dwayne Betts

In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie sits down with poet, lawyer, and advocate Reginald Dwayne Betts to explore how joy, words, and access to stories fuel liberation and resilience in social justice work. Through conversations about his books, MacArthur Fellowship, and Freedom Reads (the nonprofit he started that brings brand new “Freedom Edition” books and custom bookcases into prisons), Betts invites listeners to rethink how language, joy, and serious work intertwine. From personal growth through grief to designing spaces that bring books and beauty into prisons, this episode underscores how imagination and care can reshape systems and sustain movement building.

Key Takeaways:

Words can harm or heal depending on use. Poetry and law offer parallel tools to shape reality and advocate for change. Mindful language uplifts, teaches, and connects.
Writing toward joy transforms sorrow into continuity. His most recent book, Doggerel, shows how personal struggle coexists with delight.
Freedom Reads builds and delivers beautiful, brand-new, curated libraries. Placing them centrally in prison cell blocks to encourage daily engagement with books and community.
Accessible books foster hope and possibility. Flexible formats and early access to first-edition books make serious thought and beauty available to those inside.
Accountability, care, and early mentorship shaped Betts’ teaching and advocacy. Prison experiences revealed the power of education and word-sharing.
Recognition, like the MacArthur Fellowship, provided space for creative risk and initiative expansion. Integrating poetry, performance, and Freedom Reads strengthens multiple identities. Strategic scaling multiplies impact.

"The Freedom Library is this belief that you can bring joy into a space through a built object… freedom begins with a book, and that’s freedom for everybody." — Reginald Dwayne Betts
"I was writing Doggerel while all of those things were happening, and I feel like easily this is the most joyous collection of poems I’ve written… not because they avoid sorrow, but because they recognize that sorrow is part of a continuum of life." — Reginald Dwayne Betts
"Sometimes we think our joy is trivial… I wanted to push back against that, to put joy in a really serious context." — Reginald Dwayne Betts

More about Reginald Dwayne Betts:

Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet and lawyer. A 2021 MacArthur Fellow, he is the Executive Director of Freedom Reads, a not-for-profit organization transforming access to literature in prisons through the installation of Freedom Libraries nationwide.

For more than twenty years, he has used poetry and essays to explore prison, violence, and incarceration’s impact on American society. The author of a memoir and three poetry collections, he adapted his American Book Award–winning Felon into a solo theater work examining post-incarceration life and the enduring consequences of a criminal record through poetry, story, and the art of paper-making.

In 2019, Betts won the National Magazine Award for Essays and Criticism for a New York Times Magazine piece chronicling his journey from prison to becoming a licensed attorney. His honors include fellowships from Radcliffe, Guggenheim, New America, and Aspen. He holds a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Connect with Reginald Dwayne Betts:
Website: https://www.dwaynebetts.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedombeginswithabook/

Connect with Kristine:

Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/

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