Reginald Dwayne Betts’ journey from incarcerated teenager to celebrated poet-lawter and prison reform visionary reads like a script Hollywood would reject as “too improbable.” Yet this 2021 MacArthur Fellow continues to reshape America’s criminal justice landscape through literature and law.
The Freedom Reads Revolution
Betts’ nonprofit Freedom Reads has installed 303 libraries in 37 prisons across 10 states since 2020. These handcrafted literary spaces—built by teams including formerly incarcerated individuals—each contain 500 carefully curated books ranging from James Baldwin to contemporary poetry collections. “Freedom begins with a book,” Betts often declares, leveraging his $5.25M Mellon Foundation grant to create oases of hope in cellblocks.
Art Meets Activism
In 2023, Betts collaborated with artist Titus Kaphar on Redaction, a groundbreaking poetry collection/art exhibit exposing America’s cash bail system through altered court documents. This follows his 2019 solo theater show adapting his American Book Award-winning poetry collection Felon, which explores post-incarceration life through handmade paper art.
From Cellblock to Courtroom
After serving 8 years for a teenage carjacking conviction, Betts earned:
- Yale Law JD (2016)
- Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard
- Guggenheim Fellowship (2018)
His 2021 MacArthur “genius grant” recognized both his artistic achievements and prison reform work. Currently pursuing a Yale Law PhD, Betts continues advising policymakers while maintaining his poetic output.
The Ripple Effect
Betts’ impact extends beyond prisons:
| Initiative | Reach |
|---|---|
| Freedom Libraries | 10,000+ incarcerated readers |
| Legal Advocacy | Barred from CT law license until 2017 due to record |
| Presidential Role | Obama-appointed juvenile justice advisor |
