The event featured readings from Doggerel and South to America, followed by an intimate conversation and book signing with incarcerated women, revealing the power of literature to build connection and hope inside correctional facilities.
Framingham, MA — October 10, 2025 – Freedom Reads, an organization dedicated to transforming the lives of people in prison through literature, hosted a special event at MCI–Framingham featuring its CEO & Founder, Reginald Dwayne Betts, in conversation with acclaimed author, historian, and Harvard University professor, Dr. Imani Perry.
During the event, participants received copies of Betts’ latest poetry collection, Doggerel and Perry’s award-winning work, South to America. Both authors shared selected readings from their books before engaging in an interactive conversation with the women at MCI–Framingham. The program concluded with a book signing, offering a rare opportunity for direct connection between nationally recognized writers and incarcerated readers.
“I want readers to fall in love with books and be transported by them,” shared Dr. Perry—a sentiment that echoed powerfully throughout the room. For people in prison, access to literature isn’t just a pastime—it’s a vital outlet. Many spoke about how books offer a way to connect with the world beyond the walls, expand their knowledge, and experience a sense of freedom that their daily environment doesn’t allow. The event underscored a clear demand for more literary opportunities behind bars, where the appetite for reading is both strong and deeply personal.
Reginald Dwayne Betts said, “It is always a delight to be in the company of Imani Perry and it was especially powerful to share our passion for literature with the women here. They asked brilliant questions and collectively we shared the power of telling new stories about possibilities beyond prison walls.”
Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, lawyer, and 2021 MacArthur Fellow whose work addresses the complexities of prison, justice, and freedom. Formerly incarcerated himself, Betts has become a leading voice in the national conversation on literature’s power to transform lives inside and outside prison walls. His most recent collection, Doggerel, offers searing and inventive reflections on language, justice, and survival.
Dr. Imani Perry is the Henry A. Morss, Jr. and Elisabeth W. Morss Professor of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. A recipient of the 2024 Inside Literary Prize, she is a prolific author whose book South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation won the 2022 National Book Award for Nonfiction. Her scholarship and writing illuminate American history, race, and culture with depth and nuance.