Podcasts about freedom reads

The Power of Storytelling is a special collaboration episode between Minorities in Publishing and the Restorative Works! Podcast. Through the power of storytelling, we aim to engage powerful leaders and activists in conversations around keeping hope in dire times; giving back power to communities; radical empathy; arts as means to tell real life stories, and the effects of genuine engagement in community resilience. Listen to critical storytellers and educators including Jennifer Coreas, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Tiffany Yu, who have been foundational in bringing awareness to societal issues and community movements through storytelling and literacy. Tune in to hear these influential voices speak on the power of transforming stories into actionable change in the worlds of criminal justice, disability awareness, and publishing.  Participant Bios Jennifer Baker is an author, editor, writing instructor, and creator of the Minorities in Publishing podcast. She's been a recipient of NYSCA/NYFA and Queens Council on the Arts grants, a 2024 Axinn Writing Award, and was named the Publishers Weekly Star Watch SuperStar in 2019. She edited the short story anthology Everyday People: The Color of Life (2018) and is the author of Forgive Me Not (2023) a 2023 Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, an NYPL 2023 Best Book for Teens, and 2023 Best of the Best by the BCALA.  Claire de Mézerville López is a licensed psychologist from UCR (Universidad de Costa Rica). She holds a Master in Education with an emphasis on cognitive development from ITESM (Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, México). She also has a Master of Science in Restorative Practices from the IIRP Graduate School. She is also an associate professor at Universidad de Costa Rica, and has experience as a therapist, researcher, and consultant. Claire has published papers on adolescence, restorative practices, resilience and educational psychology. Claire has worked with the IIRP since 2011. Currently, among other duties, serves as a liaison to Spanish-speaking communities and organizations in Latin America and elsewhere 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 that is radically transforming the access to literature in prisons through the installation of Freedom Libraries in prisons across this country. Betts has authored several books including the poetry collections Bastards of the Reagan Era and Felon. Jennifer Coreas is the coordinator and cofounder of the program Literacy for Reconciliation for ConTextos in El Salvador and Chicago. Her work extends from curriculum development and teaching to advocacy, training, and facilitation of dialogue. She has led the work and the vision for ConTextos's work in prisons and communities, accompanied authors in their journeys of self-discovery, and brought their stories to hundreds of teachers, psychologists, and social workers in professional development spaces. She has been recognized with numerous fellowships and scholarships including the Rocky Gooch Memorial Scholarship and the Esperanza Fellowship. She holds degrees from El Salvador in English as a second language and applied linguistics, and she received a master's degree in English from Middlebury College in 2018. Tiffany Yu is the CEO & Founder of Diversability, an award-winning social enterprise to elevate disability pride, the Founder of the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter, and the author of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World. Her TED Talk, How to Help Employees with Disabilities Thrive, has over one million views.  She serves on the NIH National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research and was a Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit. At the age of 9, Tiffany became disabled as a result of a car accident that also took the life of her father.

The Power of Storytelling is a special collaboration episode between Minorities in Publishing and the Restorative Works! Podcast. Through the power of storytelling, we aim to engage powerful leaders and activists in conversations around keeping hope in dire times; giving back power to communities; radical empathy; arts as means to tell real life stories, and the effects of genuine engagement in community resilience. Listen to learn from critical storytellers and educators including Jennifer Coreas, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Tiffany Yu, who have been foundational in bringing awareness to societal issues and community movements through storytelling and literacy.  Jennifer Baker is an author, editor, writing instructor, and creator of the Minorities in Publishing podcast. She's been a recipient of NYSCA/NYFA and Queens Council on the Arts grants, a 2024 Axinn Writing Award, and was named the Publishers Weekly Star Watch SuperStar in 2019. She edited the short story anthology Everyday People: The Color of Life (2018) and is the author of Forgive Me Not (2023) a 2023 Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, an NYPL 2023 Best Book for Teens, and 2023 Best of the Best by the BCALA.  Jennifer Coreas is the coordinator and cofounder of the program Literacy for Reconciliation for ConTextos in El Salvador and Chicago. Her work extends from curriculum development and teaching to advocacy, training, and facilitation of dialogue. She has led the work and the vision for ConTextos's work in prisons and communities, accompanied authors in their journeys of self-discovery, and brought their stories to hundreds of teachers, psychologists, and social workers in professional development spaces. She has been recognized with numerous fellowships and scholarships including the Rocky Gooch Memorial Scholarship and the Esperanza Fellowship. She holds degrees from El Salvador in English as a second language and applied linguistics, and she received a master's degree in English from Middlebury College in 2018. 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 that is radically transforming the access to literature in prisons through the installation of Freedom Libraries in prisons across this country. Betts has authored several books including the poetry collections Bastards of the Reagan Era and Felon. Tiffany Yu is the CEO & Founder of Diversability, an award-winning social enterprise to elevate disability pride, the Founder of the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter, and the author of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World. Her TED Talk, How to Help Employees with Disabilities Thrive, has over one million views.  She serves on the NIH National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research and was a Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit. At the age of 9, Tiffany became disabled as a result of a car accident that also took the life of her father. Tune in to hear these influential voices speak on the power of transforming stories into actionable change in the worlds of criminal justice, disability awareness, and publishing. 

Reginald Dwayne Betts spent more than eight years in prison. Today he's a Yale Law graduate, a MacArthur Fellow, and a poet. His nonprofit works to build libraries in prisons so that more incarcerated people can find hope. SOURCES:Reginald Dwayne Betts, founder and director of Freedom Reads, award-winning poet, and lawyer. RESOURCES:Doggerel: Poems, by Reginald Dwayne Betts (2025).“The Poet Writing on Prison Underwear,” by Adam Iscoe (The New Yorker, 2023).The Voltage Effect, by John List (2022).“If We Truly Believe in Redemption and Second Chances, Parole Should Be Celebrated,” by Reginald Dwayne Betts (The Washington Post, 2021).Insurrections, by Rion Scott (2016).The Secret History of Wonder Woman, by Jill Lepore (2014).Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values, by Robert M. Pirsig (1974).The Black Poets, by Dudley Randall (1971).“For Freckle-Faced Gerald,” by Etheridge Knight (Poems from Prison, 1968).Felon: An America Washi Tale, by Reginald Dwayne Betts.Freedom Reads. EXTRAS:“Can a Moonshot Approach to Mental Health Work?” by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).“Can Data Keep People Out of Prison?” by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).“The Price of Doing Business with John List,” by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022).“Why Do Most Ideas Fail to Scale?” by Freakonomics Radio (2022).

Poet Reginald Dwayne Betts was part of a carjacking in a Virginia mall parking lot when he was 16 years old. He was charged as an adult and sentenced to 9 years in prison. Dwayne was released in 2005. Today, he’s a lawyer and award-winning poet. He’s also the founder and CEO of a nonprofit organization called Freedom Reads. It provides handcrafted bookcases full of brand new books to prisons. For Dwayne, and other incarcerated people, those books can be a lifeline— a connection to the rest of the world. This hour, listen back to our candid conversation with Dwayne as he reflects on his poetry, the power of books, and life after prison. We also take a visit to the Freedom Reads workshop and hear from some of the formerly incarcerated people who build the bookcases and bring them to prisons. GUEST: Reginald Dwayne Betts: Award-winning poet, whose books include Felon and the upcoming Doggerel. He's also a lawyer and the Founder and CEO of Freedom Reads Michael Byrd: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads Steven Parkhurst: Communications Manager at Freedom Reads James Flynn: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads Special thanks to Kevin Baker and Ivan Dominguez at Freedom Reads. This episode originally aired on December 6, 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reginald Dwayne Betts originally read Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail" – King's defense of the use of nonviolent civil disobedience in the fight for civil rights – while in solitary confinement in prison. Mr. Betts, who served over 8 years for a carjacking he committed when he was 16, went on to become an award-winning poet and graduate of Yale Law School. He has written the Afterword for a new commemorative edition of Dr. King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Mr. Betts talks about the book and the work done by Freedom Reads, an organization he founded that builds libraries in prisons.           Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reginald Dwayne Betts originally read Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail" – King's defense of the use of nonviolent civil disobedience in the fight for civil rights – while in solitary confinement in prison. Mr. Betts, who served over 8 years for a carjacking he committed when he was 16, went on to become an award-winning poet and graduate of Yale Law School. He has written the Afterword for a new commemorative edition of Dr. King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Mr Betts talks about the book and the work done by Freedom Reads, an organization he founded that builds libraries in prisons.           Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of My Simplified Life, host Michelle Glogovac interviews Traci Thomas, creator and host of The Stacks podcast. They discuss Traci's journey into the world of books and podcasting, her reading habits, and the importance of advocating for literature in prisons. Traci shares insights on parenting and reading with children, as well as navigating classic literature's impact on modern readers. The conversation highlights the significance of asking for help in the industry and the joy of sharing books with others. What We're Talking About... Traci Thomas is the creator and host of The Stacks podcast. Books can be political and should be discussed openly. Starting a podcast requires passion and a unique perspective. Reading habits can evolve over time, especially with audiobooks. Asking for help is crucial in the podcasting and publishing industry. Advocacy for books in prisons is essential for rehabilitation. Parenting involves introducing children to literature in a fun way. Classic literature can have outdated themes that need discussion. Engaging with literature requires critical thinking and context. The Stacks podcast is a platform for discussing impactful books. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Excitement for the Conversation 07:20 The Journey to Starting a Podcast 13:14 Reading Habits and Book Recommendations 19:05 Guest Highlights and Personal Connections 26:08 Raising Awareness and Support for Incarcerated Individuals 31:51 Engaging with Classic Texts and Their Relevance Today 35:07 Inspiration to Create Your Own Path Links Mentioned The Stacks Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thestackspod The Stacks Website https://www.thestackspodcast.com/about Freedom Reads https://freedomreads.org/

Poet Reginald Dwayne Betts was part of a carjacking in a Virginia mall parking lot when he was 16 years old. He was charged as an adult and sentenced to 9 years in prison. Dwayne was released in 2005. Today, he's a lawyer and award-winning poet. He's also the founder and CEO of a nonprofit organization called Freedom Reads. It provides handcrafted bookcases full of brand new books to prisons. For Dwayne, and other incarcerated people, those books can be a lifeline— a connection to the rest of the world. This hour, we have a candid conversation with Dwayne as he reflects on his poetry, the power of books, and life after prison. We also take a visit to the Freedom Reads workshop and hear from some of the formerly incarcerated people who build the bookcases and bring them to prisons. You can see photos of the Freedom Reads workshop on our website. GUEST: Reginald Dwayne Betts: Award-winning poet, whose books include Felon and the upcoming Doggerel. He's also a lawyer and the Founder and CEO of Freedom Reads Michael Byrd: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads Steven Parkhurst: Communications Manager at Freedom Reads James Flynn: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads Special thanks to Kevin Baker and Ivan Dominguez at Freedom Reads.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reginald Dwayne Betts is on a mission is to put a curated library in the cell block of every prison in America. A survivor of the system himself, he has obtained a college degree, a law degree from Yale, and a MacArthur Genius grant. Looking to bring hope to America's most hopeless places, Bates has founded Freedom Reads, an organization that brings free curated library collections to every prison system that agrees to it. His partner in the endeavor, Debbie Leff, also talks to us about what inspired her about this tremendous organization. No one better personifies the power of reading to change a life, so join us for what we believe is an important discussion about the vitality of libraries and the power of books to heal. Books mentioned in this week's podcast: The Circumference of a Prison by Reginald Dwayne Betts Doggerel by Reginald Dwayne Betts Felon: Poems by Reginald Dwayne Betts Redaction by Reginald Dwayne Betts Bastards of the Reagan Era by Reginald Dwayne Betts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, our host sits down with two old friends to discuss their unlikely journeys. Rep. Cruz first met Bruce during a successful 2006 voting rights campaign in Rhode Island, when neither of them could exercise the fundamental right of citizenship. Today, she serves as a valued legislator on the Criminal Justice Committee after having earned two degrees from Brown University. Steve first met Bruce in A-Block, while both were awaiting trial over 30 years ago. Today, he puts his passion into Freedom Reads, installing libraries into prisons and jails across the country with the award-winning Dwayne Betts. Be careful listening, as the accents might get pretty thick!

Libraries can be a lifeline for incarcerated or detained individuals and their families. In Episode 89, Call Number discusses creative programs in prison libraries. First, poets and prison reform activists Reginald Dwayne Betts and Randall Horton talked with former ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall back in an interview conducted last July. Betts and Horton, who were formerly incarcerated, now spearhead respective literary program: Betts founded Freedom Reads, which installs 500-book Freedom Libraries in prisons and juvenile detention centers, and Horton cofounded Radical Reversal, which holds literary and musical workshops and creates performance and recording spaces in detention centers and correctional facilities. They discussed the importance of access to books while incarcerated, how censorship creates barriers to that access, and what they hope for ALA's newly revised Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained. Then, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Lisa Prins, manager of adult and community education, and Allison Sivak, faculty engagement librarian, both at University of Alberta in Edmonton. In 2022, the university launched its Correspondence Book Club at the Edmonton Institution for Women, which provides women who are incarcerated with themed writing and art-making prompts. They were joined by Mariel Silva, a formerly incarcerated individual and former book club participant. Note: The sound quality in the Correspondence Book Club segment varies. For more on ALA's newly revised Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained and our episode guests, check out our November/December feature story, “Lighting the Way.” Is there a story or topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know at callnumber@ala.org. You can also follow us on Twitter/X, SoundCloud, or Spotify and leave a review on iTunes. We welcome feedback and hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for listening.

Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, lawyer, and founder of the nonprofit Freedom Reads. His New York Times Magazine article "Could an Ex-Convict Become an Attorney? I Intended to Find Out" won the National Magazine Award. His new podcast is Almost There. “I felt like I had to own becoming something and intuitively understood that if I didn't lay claim to desiring to be something, that it would be too many other forces that would be pulling on me to dictate that I become something else. … When you say you're a writer, if you know nothing else, then you know that you read. You pay attention to the world. … And prison became the metaphor by which I understood the world and poetry became the medium by which I understood what it meant to write about the world and what it meant to take seriously the responsibility to write about the world that I knew.” Show notes: dwaynebetts.com freedomreads.org 01:00 Almost There with Dwayne Betts (Emerson Collective) 05:00 The Black Poets (Dudley Randall • Bantam • 1985) 10:00 Married… with Children (Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt • Fox • 1987-1997) 21:00 "Scientists and Engineers" (Killer Mike • Michael • 2023) 24:00 "Could an Ex-Convict Become an Attorney? I Intended to Find Out" (New York Times Magazine • Oct 2018) 26:00 "The Language of Birds" (Anselm Kiefer • 2018) 28:00 A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison (Avery • 2010) 31:00 Felon: An American Washi Tale 32:00 "Kamala Harris, Mass Incarceration and Me" (New York Times Magazine • Oct 2020) 33:00 Shahid Reads His Own Palm (Alice James Books • 2010) 33:00 Bastards of the Reagan Era (Four Way Books • 2015) 33:00 Felon (Norton • 2019) 33:00 Redaction: A Project by Titus Kaphar and Reginald Dwayne Betts (MoMA PS1 • 2019) 33:00 Redaction (Titus Kaphar and Reginald Dwayne Betts • Norton • 2023) 44:00 Creative Nonfiction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reading creates empathy, drives literacy, and in some cases offers an escape. Freedom Reads, a program to be installed this week in juvenile and correctional facilities in Maryland, will bring dozens of new books -- and all the imagination they conjure -- to young people in the system. We talk to its founder, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and new secretary of Juvenile Services, Vincent Schiraldi. Links: Freedom Reads , Banner Reporting:‘I had to protect myself': What Maryland is doing to stop kids from seeking guns; Juvenile services agency teaches kids to find their way on a Western Maryland lake  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Community heals while Isolation Kills! I know most of you don't like hearing this but it's the truth.   Today we had a great conversation with our friend Emily Frisella about the power behind building a thriving community and with her mission leading “Women in Business” Workshops to create impact.   Emily also shared with us an awesome yet powerful story of when she was 14 years old and worked two jobs to save up for her first business she started at age 19.   There are so many knowledge bombs in this conversation with Emily that we had to listen to this three times!   Make sure you have your note pads or apps out and listen to the full episode.    Keep taking action, pursuing personal excellence, and impacting lives!   In This Episode, we discuss: Why Discipline, Focus, Excellence, and Resilience is what you need in the game of Entrepreneurism The cold hard truth about being an Entrepreneur Women in Business Workshops and her vision behind this Emily's Go To habits and rituals that create her daily wins   Emily's Bio:  Working 2 jobs since the age of 14 allowed Emily to save money to buy her first home at age 19 and open her first brick & mortar business at age 20. She purchased the land & building and opened a luxury gift boutique, flower shop, wedding & tuxedo rental company.   Emily knows first hand the rise & fall of business, the grit, determination, defeat, joys and triumphs that come with the title "Entrepreneur".   After selling her business and relocating to St. Louis, she founded The Paper & Plan Co. She is also a three-time published author of Amazon best-selling cookbooks, The Fresh Farmhouse Kitchen and  The Saints Plate & The Sinners Dinner Cookbook and most recently, Relationships First. Emily is a Chef,  Founder of The Women in Business Workshop, Co-founder of Freedom Reads with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, COO of 44Seven Media, Digital Course Creator, Business Coach & Speaker.   Emily's passion is to help others with "real world" health and wellness-- it's about creating a lifestyle you can maintain. Her on-going mission is helping women reach their potential and empowering them to lead in their personal & professional lives through self development, awareness, and learning to brand their passions and talents, which is why she launched the Women in Business Workshop in 2018. Through this program, women are surrounded by like-minded, driven women to learn real world, practical & tactical business operations, productivity and organizational skills, as well as a deep branding knowledge to help them level up personally and professionally.   Follow Emily: https://instagram.com/emilyfrisella?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=   Linktree:  https://linktr.ee/emilyfrisella?utm_source=linktree_profile_share   Follow Us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisandericmartinez/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Dynamicduotraining   FREE 15 Min More Clients Brainstorming Call. Let's Chat & See How We Can Help You Get Unstuck or Move Up Income Brackets. https://www.dynamicfitpros.com/15-minute-booking   Get 25% Off Any Orders From SteelFit Sports Nutrition: Coupon Code is DYNAMIC25 https://steelfitusa.com/   See the full Show Notes to this episode here https://www.liveadynamiclifestyle.com/podcast/becoming-stronger-together-as-women-in-business-through-resilience-and-perseverance-with-emily-frisella/

In conversation with Airea D. Matthews A ''powerful work of lyric art'' and ''tour de force indictment of the carceral industrial state'' (The New York Times Book Review), Reginald Dwayne Betts' poetry collection Felon won the NAACP Image Award, the American Book Award, and was a finalist for the 2019 Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Also the author of two other poetry collections and a memoir, he received the 2019 National Magazine Award for his New York Times Magazine essay about his journey from prison inmate to Yale Law School. His other honors include a Guggenheim fellowship, a 2021 MacArthur ''genius grant'', and a Radcliffe fellowship from Harvard. Betts is the founder and executive director of Freedom Reads, a not-for-profit institution devoted to providing greater access to literature in prisons. Created in collaboration with visual artist Titus Kaphar, Redaction is a multimedia examination of the relationship between race and incarceration in America.  Airea D. Matthews is the 2022-2023 Philadelphia Poet Laureate and directs the poetry program at Bryn Mawr College. Her collection Simulacra won the 2016 Yale Series of Younger Poets Prize and her work has appeared in The New York Times, Best American Poets, Gulf Coast, Harvard Review, and VQR, among other journals. Her autobiographical poetry collection Bread and Circus will be published this spring. (recorded 2/27/2023)

Emily Frisella is a multi-passionate entrepreneur who started her first brick-and-mortar business at the age of twenty. She is the founder of ‘The Paper & Plan Co.' and the author of several Amazon best-selling cook books.  Emily is also the founder of The Women in Business Workshop, COO of 44Seven Media, COO of Arete Syndicate, co-host of the ‘Curious Me' podcast, co-founder of the Freedom Reads book club, as well as a business coach, and speaker.  Emily encourages entrepreneurs to use their voice and reach their potential in their personal and professional lives through self-development, accountability, awareness, and building authentic relationships. In this episode we discuss the following topics:   You Don't Deserve Success - You Earn Success! The Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Are Making Why Entrepreneurship Is Like "A Bouquet Of Flowers" The Commonality Among Successful Entrepreneurs Advice For Couples & Business Partners My First Date With Andy Frisella Why I Wrote My Best-Selling CookBooks Relationships First - People, Passion & Profits "Pretty Woman" Syndrome Showing Appreciation & Gratitude  Accountability A Culture Of Improvement  Thinking Big! Emily's Daily Routine Every week, the RUN GPG Podcast aims to provide inspirational stories from people who made a mark in entrepreneurship, entertainment, personal development, and the real estate industry. It is produced by the GREATER PROPERTY GROUP to help the audience grow and scale their business and their life.   Know more about GREATER PROPERTY GROUP and the RUN GPG Podcast by going to www.rungpg.com or by getting in touch with us here: info@greaterpropertygroup.com.     Contact Emily Frisella: Website: https://emilyfrisella.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyfrisella/   Book: Relationships First - People Passion & Profit: https://emilyfrisella.com/products/relationships-first-book-pre-order   Contact David Morrell: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morrellionaire Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegreaterdavid/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/fearofdavid     Subscribe & Review The RUN GPG Podcast Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode of the RUN GPG Podcast! Please leave us a review on iTunes. This will help us continue delivering beneficial content for you and our listeners each week!

Publishing industry news, insider interviews, and a look at current non-fiction books featured on C-SPAN's Book TV. In this episode we talked to Reginald Dwayne Betts, founder of Freedom Reads, an organization that provides books to incarcerated people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DeRay, De'Ara, Myles, and Kaya  cover the underreported news of the week— including the first Black woman to compose music for NYC ballet, affirmative action's return to the Supreme Court, Torrance police officer's racists text messages exposed, and an unexpected motivator for Democrats voting in the November election. DeRay interviews activist and founder Dwayne Betts about his non-profit organization Freedom Reads. News:Myles https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/solange-knowles-becomes-first-black-woman-compose-music-nyc-ballet-rcna43412Kaya https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/26/us/affirmative-action-admissions-supreme-court.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShareDeRay https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-25/torrance-police-officers-racist-new-textsDe'Ara https://www.npr.org/sections/2022-live-primary-election-race-results/2022/08/24/1119243085/abortion-pat-ryan-new-york-florida-primary-takeaways

Publishing industry news, insider interviews, and a look at current non-fiction books featured on C-SPAN's Book TV. In this episode we talked to Reginald Dwayne Betts, founder of Freedom Reads, an organization that provides books to incarcerated people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PROGRAMMING NOTE: The third season of The Last Archive is coming this fall! It will remain free and available everywhere. In the meantime, we are launching a new, subscription-only series as part of the Pushkin+ offering. It's called The Last Archivist, a series of conversations between historian Jill Lepore and collectors, curators, librarians, and keepers of history. This first episode is available for free, but if you want to listen to the rest of the series, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, or at www.pushkin.fm. Stay tuned for Season Three of The Last Archive later this year, which will be free and available everywhere you listen to podcasts. DESCRIPTION: In the first episode of this Pushkin+ series, Jill Lepore talks to Reginald Dwayne Betts about Freedom Reads: an initiative to build libraries in prisons and jails across America. Betts is a MacArthur Genius Grant award recipient and the author of "Felon" – a collection of poems about the effects of incarceration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reginald Dwayne Betts animates the ideals of justice, integrity and equity in his work as both an attorney and a poet. Betts is also the founding director of Freedom Reads, which aims to establish freedom libraries in prisons across the country. He said it exposes people to the various ways that poetry, fiction, memoir and other literature operate. “Prison is a brutal place, but I don't want to act like prison is just a brutal place. A man I didn't know heard me ask for a book and slid me ‘The Black Poets' because he thought it might matter to me. It profoundly changed my life,” Betts said. Their conversation was the first of four included in MPR and the Star Tribune's Talking Volumes series in 2021 centered around race in America. Guest: Reginald Dwayne Betts is the founder and director of Freedom Reads, a first-of-its-kind organization that empowers people through literature to confront what prison does to the spirit. To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above. Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS. Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations. 

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 185: [FREEDOM READS] Unconditional Parenting Part 4 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 184: [FREEDOM READS] Ignoring The Circus apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 183: [FREEDOM READS] Unconditional Parenting Part 3 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 182: [FREEDOM READS] Everything Is Terrible, I Mean Awesome apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 181: [FREEDOM READS] Unconditional Parenting Part 2 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 180: [FREEDOM READS] An Open Letter To Brazil apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

For Reginald Dwayne Betts—a poet, lawyer, and activist who supports and contributes to prison decarceration efforts—reading and writing have a mind-expanding power that never wanes. The author of three books of poetry and a memoir, his prose is intimate and raw. Even when he's not writing about himself, Betts finds ways to build personal connections with his subjects for his award-winning work in The New York Times Magazine—subjects that have included the rapper Tariq Trotter of The Roots, the late actor Michael K. Williams, and Vice President Kamala Harris. He also brings a literary bent to his activism: In 2020, he founded Freedom Reads, a nonprofit that aims to build libraries inside 1,000 prisons and juvenile detention centers across the country. The program recently installed its first sets of bookshelves at MCI-Norfolk, the Massachusetts prison where Malcolm X was incarcerated, and last month, in a public event at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., it presented the 500 titles that comprise each collection.Betts, a graduate of Yale Law School (where he's currently in a Ph.D. program), became an advocate for respecting the rights and dignity of the people who are in or who have gone through the American carceral system after experiencing it firsthand himself. Instead of resigning himself to the violence and dehumanizing conditions of incarceration, he turned his focus to books—many by Black writers and poets—that showed him the depth and richness of self-reflection, and that got him thinking about the stories he himself had to tell. On this episode, Betts speaks with Spencer about the long-term impacts of his time behind bars, the current renaissance of prison writing, and the transformative act of giving people who are incarcerated access to literature and books.Special thanks to our Season 5 sponsor, L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts. Show notes:Full transcriptdwaynebetts.comA Question of Freedom [18:39]Betts's 2021 commencement speech at Wesleyan University [25:46]Felon: An American Washi Tale [30:24]“Kamala Harris, Mass Incarceration and Me” [30:36]“A Son, A Mother, and Two Gun Crimes” episode of Death, Sex & Money podcast [38:06]“The Lives They Lived” [42:55]Shahid Reads His Own Palm [01:00:27]Bastards of the Reagan Era [01:00:27]Felon [01:00:27]“Could an Ex-Convict Become an Attorney? I Intended to Find Out” [01:03:01]Freedom Reads [01:10:23]“Memorial Hoops” [01:16:54]

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 179: [FREEDOM READS] Freedom on a Societal vs Individual Level – Unconditional Parenting apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 178: [FREEDOM READS] The Sovereign Individual Part 5 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley: The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Two million people are in the nation's prisons and jails. According to The Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy center, that's a 500% increase over the last 40 years at an annual cost of $80 billion. That reality has helped drive a movement for criminal justice reform which is now front and center in the national conversation. The cause has drawn together a motley group of advocates, from grassroots organizers to celebrities like Kim Kardashian and the conservative Koch brothers, where they are part of a roiling debate about systemic racism, reformative justice, no-knock warrants and sentencing policies. More recently, the formerly incarcerated have become major voices in the reform movement. How can their leadership help shape the effort to fix the broken system? Guests: John Valverde is the president and CEO of the global nonprofit YouthBuild USA. Dehlia Umunna is a clinical professor of law at Harvard Law School and the Faculty Deputy Director of the law school's Criminal Justice Institute. Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, a lawyer, a 2021 MacArthur Fellow, and the founder of Freedom Reads.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 177: [FREEDOM READS] SXSW Review & The Sovereign Individual Part 4 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

Last summer, Louisiana state officials opened the high-security juvenile detention facility, the Acadiana Center for Youth in St. Martinville. But a recent investigation into the center by ProPublica, NBC News, and the Marshall Project found horrific conditions at the center, including teens held in solitary confinement for weeks at a time, shackled with leg irons during showers, and little to no education.  Beth Schwartzapfel, reporter with the Marshall Project, tells us more about the recent investigation.  The national non-profit Freedom Reads recently opened Freedom Libraries in two Louisiana prisons. The libraries are the brainchild of 2021 MacArthur Fellow Reginald Dwayne Betts who went from being a 16 year old sentenced to nine years in prison for a carjacking to becoming a critically acclaimed writer and graduate of the Yale Law School.  Betts joined us to discuss the founding of Freedom Reads, and how his organization aims to empower inmates through literature. Today's episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber and our digital editor is Katelyn Umholtz. Our engineers are Garrett Pittman, Aubrey Procell, and Thomas Walsh.  You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:30 pm. It's available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you're at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you'd like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 176: [FREEDOM READS] The Sovereign Individual Part 3 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

Michael speaks with Reginald Dwayne Betts about his path to becoming a poet, Yale Law School graduate and MacArthur Fellow after being incarcerated at age sixteen. The pair discuss Dwayne's organization Freedom Reads, the language of poetry, access to books and beauty, and how true change comes from seeing our shared humanity.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 175: [FREEDOM READS] War Is A Racket apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

Michael speaks with Reginald Dwayne Betts about his path to becoming a poet, Yale Law School graduate and MacArthur Fellow after being incarcerated at age sixteen. The pair discuss Dwayne's organization Freedom Reads, the language of poetry, access to books and beauty, and how true change comes from seeing our shared humanity.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 174: [FREEDOM READS] The Sovereign Individual Part 2 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 173: [FREEDOM READS] PlayaDelCarmen, The Sovereign Individual Part 1 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

Join PEN America and Haymarket Books for the launch of The Sentences That Create Us: Crafting a Writer's Life In Prison. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Sentences That Create Us provides a road map for incarcerated people and their allies to have a thriving writing life behind bars—and shared beyond the walls—that draws on the unique insights of more than fifty contributors, most themselves justice-involved, to offer advice, inspiration and resources. And it's not just for those on the inside. Michelle Alexander said in her blurb: “This is one of the best books on writing that I've ever read.” This transformative collection can serve anyone seeking hard won lessons and inspiration for their own creative—and human—journey. Join editor Caits Meissner for a conversation with contributor Reginald Dwayne Betts, hosted by author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Order the book from Haymarket: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1766-the-sentences-that-create-us --------------------------------------------------------------------- Speakers: Reginald Dwayne Betts is the founder of Freedom Reads, a first-of-its-kind organization working to radically transform access to literature in prison. In October 2018, the New York Times Magazine published Betts long essay “Getting Out.” Several months later, the piece was awarded a National Magazine Award. The publication was another example of Betts entering into a new genre and bringing the same depth and richness of self-reflection and exploration of the central problem of this generation: incarceration and its effects of families and communities. Betts transformed himself from a sixteen-year old kid sentenced to nine-years in prison to a critically acclaimed writer and graduate of the Yale Law School. He has written three acclaimed collections of poetry, the recently published Felon, Bastards of the Reagan Era and Shahid Reads His Own Palm. Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah is the New York Times-bestselling author of Friday Black. Originally from Spring Valley, New York, he graduated from SUNY Albany and went on to receive his MFA from Syracuse University.His work has appeared or is forthcoming from numerous publications, including the New York Times Book Review, Esquire, Literary Hub, the Paris Review, Guernica, and Longreads. He was selected by Colson Whitehead as one of the National Book Foundation's “5 Under 35” honorees, is the winner of the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Award for Best First Book and the Aspen Words Literary Prize. He is on the steering committee of the Rockland Coalition to end the New Jim Crow an advocacy group that works toward ending the use of the criminal justice system as a tool of racial oppression. Caits Meissner is the director of Prison and Justice Writing at PEN America. She has taught, consulted, and co-created extensively for over 15 years across a wide spectrum of communities with a focus on prisons, public schools, and college classrooms at The New School and The City College of New York. In 2017, Meissner reenvisioned the concept of book tour for her illustrated poetry collection Let It Die Hungry, pairing public speaking engagements with opportunities to work with incarcerated writers across the United States. Watch the live event recording: https://youtu.be/4PC_M5USHJQ Buy books from Haymarket: www.haymarketbooks.org Follow us on Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/haymarketbooks

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 172: [FREEDOM READS] Freedom vs Safety apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 170: [FREEDOM READS] Reinventing Organizations Part 2/2 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 169: [FREEDOM READS] Reinventing Organizations Part 1/2 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin continues his exploration of Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, commenting on the important difference between intrinsic motivation and external motivation and how the former can be encouraged, rather than snuffed out by the modern education system. O post FL 168: [FREEDOM READS] Punished By Rewards – Internal Motivation Part 2 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin', Kevin discusses how rewarding certain behaviors, far from encouraging them, can actually hinder the desired behavior from taking root. By offering external rewards for certain behaviors, we often create a dependency on rewards for continued good behavior and at the same time handicap the ability to make good decisions in the long term. O post FL 167: [FREEDOM READS] Punished By Rewards Part 1/2 apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin discusses the concept and ethics of self-ownership, the idea that no matter what external circumstances or relationships bear on our lives, we always retain sovereignty over ourselves. He also explores the dangers of our present moment in time and the creeping authoritarianism made possible only when we give up our own self-ownership. O post FL166: [FREEDOM READS] Self Ownership apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin discusses the misunderstood concepts of selfishness, individualism, and collectivism. Most modern people attach moral values to these terms, though their actual definitions have nothing to do with morality. O post FL165: [FREEDOM READS] Selfishness and Individualism apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode, Kevin reads excerpts from Stefan Molyneux's On Truth: The Tyranny of Illusion, and covers a video titled “The Big Lie - How To Enslave The World” O post FL164: [FREEDOM READS] Self-Responsibility apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode, Kevin reads excerpts from Stefan Molyneux's On Truth: The Tyranny of Illusion, and covers a video titled “The Big Lie - How To Enslave The World” O post FL163: [FREEDOM READS] On Truth and Lies apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin', Kevin discusses excerpts from the book Radical Honesty by Brad Blanton. We grow up in a culture that teaches us how to lie and craft a particular image from an early age, but this leads to unnecessary stress, the loss of freedom, and ultimately our own death. In his […] O post FL162: [FREEDOM READS] Radical Honesty and Freedom apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin', Kevin discusses three sections from the book The Art of Living Consciously by Nathaniel Branden. Are your actions motivated by fear or by your own conscious decision to put yourself into a better mental state? Whatever your answer, we first have to learn how to accept ourselves as we […] O post FL161: [FREEDOM READS] Self Responsibility and Living Consciously apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin', Kevin discusses parts of Wes Bertrand's book “Complete Liberty Inside Out”. Namely, how domination systems create a world filled with a lack of trust, and denial of self-responsibility, and what can you do about it. Topics discussed: -Party for Freedom October 2nd: https://tinyurl.com/freedomlovin -Solar Punk Summit: October 20-24th https://solarpunksummit.com  […] O post FL160: [FREEDOM READS] Self Responsibility, Conformity, & Self Trust apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

In this episode of Freedom Lovin, Kevin discusses two sections from the book “How To Find Freedom In An Unfree World” by Harry Browne: 1) The Final Authority, and 2) How to Be Free Who is the final authority on anything in your life? You guessed it…you. You have the inner power to filter out […] O post FL159: [FREEDOM READS] The Final Authority apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

Kevin returns with a new format for the Freedom Lovin' podcast, discussing an article by Bryan Caplan on obedience to authority and how it relates to today's COVID-19 world. Topics discussed : Where's Kevin been? COVID crashes plans Brazil adventures The direction of the Freedom Lovin' Podcast, FreedomReads Podcast 2.0, Zion App – https://getzion.com Article by […] O post FL158: [FREEDOM READS] Obedience To Authority apareceu primeiro em Freedom Lovin.

Author Bio:Jesmyn Ward is a novelist and professor of creative writing at Tulane University. She is the author of the novels Where the Line Bleeds; Salvage the Bones, which won the 2011 National Book Award; Sing, Unburied, Sing, which won the 2017 National Book Award; and of the memoir Men We Reaped, which was a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle Award. She is the editor of the anthology The Fire This Time. Ward has received the MacArthur Genius Grant, a Stegner Fellowship, a John and Renee Grisham Writers Residency, and the Strauss Living Award. She currently resides in Mississippi. To Learn More:Visit us online at Freedom Reads and follow us on Twitter @million_book

Today's bonus episode of The Freedom Takes is a collaboration with the National Book Foundation. Over the last three years, the foundation's Literature for Justice committees have curated thought-provoking reading lists on the topic of mass incarceration. Dwayne is a former committee member and a selected author. The Foundation has partnered with Freedom Reads to send Literature for Justice titles to reading groups in prisons and juvenile detention centers nationwide. On today's episode, Dwayne returned to moderate a discussion with authors and committee members Susan Burton (Becoming Ms. Burton: From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women, 2019-2020 Reading List) and Rachel Kushner (The Mars Room, 2019-2020 Reading List) in conversation on their work and the larger work of literature inside and outside of prisons to open new worlds of possibility.

Author Bio:Randall Horton is the author of the poetry collections#289-128, Dark Anarchy, The Definition of Place, andThe Lingua Franca of Ninth Street. His memoir,Hook, was the winner of the Great Lakes College Association New Writers Award.Horton currently a Professor of English at the University of New Haven. He's received numerous awards, including the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award, the Bea Gonzalez Poetry Award, the Great Lakes College Association New Writers Award for Creative Nonfiction, and a National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship in Literature. In 2018-2019 Randall was selected as Poet-in-Residence for the Civil Rights Corps in Washington DC, a non-profit that challenges systemic injustice in the American legal system. To Learn More:Visit us online at Freedom Reads and follow us on Twitter @million_book

Author BioNatalie Diaz was born and raised on the Fort Mojave Indian Village in Needles, California. She is Mojave and an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Tribe. Her first poetry collection, When My Brother Was an Aztec, was published by Copper Canyon Press in 2012. Her most recent collection, Postcolonial Love Poem,was published by Graywolf Press in 2020. She is 2018 MacArthur Foundation Fellow, a Lannan Literary Fellow and a Native Arts Council Foundation Artist Fellow. She was awarded a Bread Loaf Fellowship, the Holmes National Poetry Prize, a Hodder Fellowship, and a PEN/Civitella Ranieri Foundation Residency, as well as a US Artists Ford Fellowship. Diaz teaches at the Arizona State University Creative Writing MFA program.To Learn More:Visit us online at Freedom Reads and follow us on Twitter @million_book

Author Bio:Deesha Philyaw is an author, columnist, essayist, and public speaker.The Secret Lives of Church Ladies won the Story Prize (2020/2021), was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction, the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and a 2021 LA Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. Her work has been listed as Notable in the Best American Essays series, and her writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney's, The Rumpus, Brevity,  Apogee Journal, and elsewhere. Philyaw is a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow. To Learn More:Visit us online at Freedom Reads and follow us on Twitter @million_book

To learn more about Freedom Reads, visit https://www.freedomreads.org and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.You can find out more about the author and his work by going to https://www.jasonwritesbooks.com/.