“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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1416949755?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler</a> by E.L. Konigsburg<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0446581089?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Free Food for Millionaires</a> by Min Jin Lee<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50974/wont-you-celebrate-with-me" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">won’t you celebrate with me</a> by Lucille Clifton<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46461/those-winter-sundays" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Those Winter Sundays</a> by Robert Hayden<a href="https://poets.org/poem/failing-and-flying" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Failing and Flying</a> by Jack Gilbert<a href="https://readalittlepoetry.com/2011/01/06/the-forgotten-dialect-of-the-heart-by-jack-gilbert/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Forgotten Dialect of the Heart</a> by Jack Gilbert<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143110438/?bestFormat=true&k=a%20gentleman%20in%20moscow&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-bk-v2_k0_1_11_de&crid=25EF7BC9OJ1QE&sprefix=a%20gentleman" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A Gentleman in Moscow</a> by Amor Towles<a href="https://www.afropoets.net/soniasanchez5.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">under a soprano sky</a> by Sonia Sanchez<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51369/for-freckle-faced-gerald" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">For Freckle-Faced Gerald</a> by Etheridge KnightFeatured guest<ul><li>Follow Reginald on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dwaynebetts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-dwayne-betts-esq-494a20102/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>, and at <a href="https://freedomreads.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FreedomReads.org</a></li><li>Buy <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393652149?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Felon: Poems</a> and <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324089254" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Doggerel: Poems</a></li></ul>Connect with the team<ul><li>Follow Chris on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chrisiduffy/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and at <a href="https://chrisduffycomedy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">chrisduffycomedy.com</a></li><li>Buy Chris’ book, <a href="https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Humor Me</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TEDPods" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TEDPods</a></li><li>Follow TED on <a href="https://x.com/TEDTalks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">X</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TED" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>, and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok</a></li></ul>For the full text transcript, visit <a href="https://go.ted.com/BHTranscripts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">go.ted.com/BHTranscripts</a>Fill out our survey at <a href="https://bit.ly/BHSurvey6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bit.ly/BHSurvey6</a><hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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