KALAMAZOO—November 6, 2025
How can paper pave the way to freedom? On November 12-13, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) and community partners will explore this question and many others as they host a series of programs with poet, lawyer, and activist Reginald Dwayne Betts. These programs are presented in connection with the ongoing exhibition Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper.
Betts is the founder and CEO of Freedom Reads, an initiative to radically transform access to literature in prisons. Founded in 2020 with a grant from the Mellon Foundation, Freedom Reads has, to date, opened more than 500 Freedom Libraries in fifty adult and youth prisons across 13 states. These libraries provide a locus where conversation and community can begin inside and outside of prison walls, supporting the efforts of incarcerated individuals to imagine new possibilities for their lives.
“We’re honored to be bringing Reginald Dwayne Betts to Kalamazoo in conjunction with the Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper exhibit. Mr. Betts’ work illustrates that paper is a silent witness to creation through the visual, performing, and written arts,” says Jennifer Cooley, Director of Museum Education and Community Engagement.
A MacArthur Fellow who holds a J.D. from Yale Law School, Betts is the author of a memoir and five collections of poetry, including Felon (2019) and Doggerel (2025). In 2021, Betts debuted a solo theatrical performance based on Felon. Artist Kyoko Ibe fashioned the set for the original performance out of “prison paper,” constructed by Ruth Lignen from the clothing of incarcerated men. Felon: An American Washi Tale functions as a meditation on experiences of incarceration and on the creative and liberatory potentials of paper. KIA guests can explore works in paper by Ibe and eight additional contemporary Japanese artists in the exhibition Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper.
“Reginald Dwayne Betts is an incredible artist and scholar whose record of advocacy speaks for itself. Through his poetry and the life-changing mission of his organization Freedom Reads, Mr. Betts demonstrates the power of the written word to inspire and to liberate—a journey that often begins with paper. We are immensely grateful to our community partners who have made this exciting slate of programs possible,” says Miriam Thomas, Ph.D., Associate Curator of Adult Programs.
Programs and Events Schedule
Wednesday, November 12, 7–8:30 PM – Betts will discuss his latest poetry collection, Doggerel, in the Multicultural Center at Western Michigan University, located in the Adrian Trimpe Building at 1003 Ring Road South. Books will be available for purchase and signing following the discussion.
Thursday, November 13, 4:30–5:30 PM – Betts will give a public lecture at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, discussing Felon: An American Washi Tale and performing a short excerpt from the show.
Wednesday, November 19, 2 PM – The KIA’s Meader Fine Arts Library will host a discussion of Felon; please note that Betts will not be in attendance. All programs are free and open to the public, and additional programming is open to local college students! Learn more and register by visiting kiarts.org/betts.
This programming has been developed in collaboration with the KIA’s community partners at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College, the English Department at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and Western Michigan University. Additional support has been provided by the Kalamazoo Bar Association, the Kalamazoo Defender, the Kalamazoo Public Library, and this is a bookstore & Bookbug.
Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper is on view at the KIA through January 11. The exhibition was organized by Meher McArthur and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C.
About the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Since 1924, the KIA has offered its visitors the opportunity to enjoy and create art. The KIA’s permanent collection holds more than 4,600 objects across a wide spectrum of media, and the museum presents 10-15 exhibitions annually in its ten galleries. In addition to its exhibition spaces, the museum houses the KIA Gallery Shop, which sells pieces by international artisans and local and regional artists, a multi-media auditorium, a publicly accessible library, an interactive children’s gallery, and the Kirk Newman Art School (KNAS). KNAS has nurtured the creative passions of tens of thousands of students around the region, state, and beyond, annually welcoming more than 3,400 enrollments. Students of all ages engage with our talented and committed faculty as a part of an exciting fine arts curriculum that includes ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, drawing/painting, printmaking, fiber, photography, glass fusing and enrichment program.
Expanded offerings, collaborations, and outreach will celebrate 100 years of excellence in the arts and bring the KIA’s unparalleled resources to a wider audience than ever before. These special initiatives will give back to the community in appreciation for 100 years of growth, and deepen the ability of all Kalamazooans to find joy, learn from one another, and grow. Through close listening and renewed creativity, the anniversary will illuminate the pathway for the Institute’s next 100 years. For more information, visit www.kiarts.org.