Reginald Dwayne Betts: A Voice for the Incarcerated | THE THREAD Documentary Series
Reginald Dwayne Betts’ story is a testament to the power of the human spirit to survive – and even thrive – through extraordinary adversity. In this deeply compelling episode of The Thread, Betts displays the quiet eloquence that makes him one of the nation’s most acclaimed poets. Arrested at 16 in inner city Baltimore for the first crime he ever committed, a carjacking where no one was physically injured, this honor student was sentenced to nine years in prison. Rather than let the worst day of his life define him, Betts drew on an inner strength becoming a prolific poet in prison, earning a law degree from Yale and becoming a national advocate for the rights of the incarcerated. Reginald Dwayne Betts’ story of hope in the face of despair is one that you will not soon forget.
Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet and lawyer who is the founder and executive director of Freedom Reads, a not-for-profit organization that gives access to literature in prisons through the installation of Freedom Libraries across the country. In 2019 Betts won the National Magazine Award in the Essays and Criticism category for his NY Times Magazine essay that chronicles his journey from prison to becoming a licensed attorney. For over 20 years he has used his poetry and essays to explore the world of prisons and the effects of violence and incarceration on American Society. He has transformed his latest collection of poetry, Felon: Poems into a solo theater show that explores the post incarceration experience and lingering consequences of a criminal record through poetry, stories, and engaging with the timeless and transcendental art of paper-making.
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Chapter Markers:
00:00 - Opening
00:35 - Growing Up in Maryland
03:01 - Family Life
04:10 - Carjacking
08:15 - Treatment of Incarcerated People Reflecting America
09:24 - Prison, Identity and Creativity
11:53 - Getting Into Poetry
16:13 - The Label of “Felon” and Its Effects
18:28 - Sharing Past with Son
20:49 - Yale Law School
23:02 - Lessons about the Criminal Justice System
24:37 - The Inefficiency of Prisons
26:07 - Reforming and Redeeming Prisons
27:07 - A World Without Prisons and Violence
Reginald Dwayne Betts,
Interviewed By: Noah Remnick
Interview Date: September 15, 2022
© Kunhardt Film Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
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