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“We have tried to create a system devoid of beauty, and it has failed. We have never tried to create a system that is replete with beauty and ask us what it might do.” Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, a lawyer, and a prison reform advocate. In this episode, he joins Chris to discuss the detrimental effects of prison systems and how lack of resources and the lack of beauty in prison perpetuates dehumanization. Reginald and Chris also share their favorite poems and books and discuss Reginald’s work with the Freedom Library to bring books to prisoners and correction officers.
Poems and Books Mentioned
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee
won’t you celebrate with me by Lucille Clifton
Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
Failing and Flying by Jack Gilbert
The Forgotten Dialect of the Heart by Jack Gilbert
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
under a soprano sky by Sonia Sanchez
For Freckle-Faced Gerald by Etheridge Knight
Featured guest
- Follow Reginald on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at FreedomReads.org
- Buy Felon: Poems and Doggerel: Poems
Connect with the team
- Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
- Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
- Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDPods
- Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts
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