Uncuffed empowers people in California prisons to tell their own stories. The award-winning collaboration between incarcerated student producers and professional journalists shines light on the human experience of people before, during, and after their prison terms. The new Season 4 is hosted by formerly incarcerated producer Greg Eskridge.
San Quentin producers reflect on the lessons –– both good and bad –– that are passed down from family. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook.
Anthony Caravalho at San Quentin on "Love, Me" by Collin Raye. It's the Uncuffed My Mixtape, where we listen to our producers' favorite songs. Catch My Mixtape every other week this season of Uncuffed. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed
The Solano team shares their stories of maintaining love from behind bars, and the intense heartbreak of losing someone you love. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed.
Juan Haines at San Quentin on "Dear Mama" by Tupac Shakur. It's the Uncuffed My Mixtape, where we listen to our producers' favorite songs. Catch My Mixtape every other week this season of Uncuffed. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed
Earlier this year, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced an ambitious goal to transform San Quentin State Prison. His plans for the new San Quentin Rehabilitation Center focus on rehabilitation, job training, and improved relationships between staff and residents. The governor hopes that the changes at San Quentin will spread across California prisons. We're kicking off the third season of Uncuffed with a story about an unlikely step toward that culture change, involving nets, sweatbands, a...
Uncuffed, the award-winning podcast hosted by people in San Quentin and Solano State Prisons, is back for its third season! Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed
In our previous episode, a team of formerly incarcerated producers visited a prison from another planet. Or at least that's how it seemed. Norway's progressive and unique prison system is wildly different from anything in the United States, and it serves as a model for folks trying to make a change here. So now we’re heading back to another Norwegian prison with horses, a marathon, and little cottages—and asking what California can learn from Norway's example. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed ne...
Last summer, some formerly incarcerated graduates of the Uncuffed program…
Last summer, the Uncuffed team was invited to the world’s first International Prison Radio Conference in Oslo, Norway. Formerly incarcerated producers and staff hopped on a plane (some for the first time in their lives), and joined other prison radio makers from countries like Australia, India, and the UK. On this special episode of Uncuffed, we're sharing a few of our favorite pieces from around the globe. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org. ...
For people in prison, the holiday season can be a painful time. Many miss their families and traditions. But it’s also a time when they get together with food and acts of kindness. During the holiday season, we're playing you a favorite episode from season one, all about making it through the holidays in prison. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts are available within a w...
At Folsom State Prison, Wendell El-Amin James gravitated towards incarcerated Muslims out of a need for protection. But ultimately his conversion restructured his life to one of education and purpose. Uncuffed presents a special episode from our friends at KALW podcast The Spiritual Edge. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw...
In this season of gratitude, two founding co-hosts of Uncuffed, Tommy "Shakur" Ross and Thanh Tran, give a special update on the program. Thank you to everyone who supported Uncuffed during our emergency fundraiser! Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed.
Growing up, Uncuffed Producer Thanh Tran never truly felt like he had a home. He was raised in the foster care system, was in and out of juvenile hall as a teenager. And then, shortly after his 18th birthday, he went to prison. Just over a decade later, he got what he had been working toward for years — his freedom. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts are available within a week of the epi...
As a child, Francisco Magaña was afraid of his mother. She would beat him, and he’s carried that pain with him for his entire life. But despite that, he managed to forgive her. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed.
We joyfully request the honor of your presence at an extra special wedding. Our Uncuffed producer, Edmond Richardson is marrying the love of his life. And you’ll bear witness to his marriage in an unlikely place: San Quentin State Prison. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed....
Death is a normal part of life in prison, but it’s rare that someone can live to tell the tale. Wilbert Stoneham dropped to the floor one day after a cardiac arrest. He awoke to realize he was being brought back to life by a guard who was once his nemesis. How a near-death experience can change your perspective on everything, including someone you despised. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcri...
California's prison population is aging. Between 2000 and 2017, the share of incarcerated people over 50 has more than quintupled. For those with long or life sentences, watching friends aging and getting sick behind bars is a harsh reminder of what a life sentence can really mean. On this episode of Uncuffed, we hear the story of someone who deals with his many ailments with a good dose of humor, and the help of a compassionate caretaker–his cellie. Learn more, and donate to support the program...
One of the many struggles of parenting from inside prison is the constant fear that your children may follow in your footsteps. Children of incarcerated parents are more likely to get in trouble at school, lack stable housing, and end up involved in the criminal legal system themselves. And breaking those cycles is not easy, especially when contact with your children is limited. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook,...
Letter writing is an art, and the Uncuffed producers at San Quentin State Prison know that very well. At the height of the pandemic, after weeks of constant lockdowns, one of the only thing to do was write letters to friends and family. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out, at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed....
In June 2020, San Quentin had one of the biggest COVID-19 outbreaks in a California prison. 2,000 incarcerated people were infected, and 29 died. Two cellmates recount what it was like during that devastating time. Thanks to Mourning Our Losses for the names of those who died of COVID at San Quentin. www.mourningourlosses.org. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts are available within a week...
It's been a wild couple of years, and in California prisons, it was no different. We experienced lockdowns and quarantines, death, friendship, and love. Get ready for a brand new season of Uncuffed!This season, we'll hear about how some unexpected letters during the pandemic changed everything for a family divided. We'll listen up close as some our friends take big life steps, and others finally get their freedom. And always, we'll continue to bring you deep conversations about our lives inside ...
Tommy "Shakur" Ross has been incarcerated for over 36 years. In those decades, he's experienced a lifetime of transformation. He discovered Islam, helped found a radio program, got a college degree, and embraced restorative justice. And a few months ago he was found suitable for parole. But getting to this moment has also been a roller coaster ride. And it's not quite over yet. On the newest Uncuffed episode, we'll hear about the twists and turns of Shakur's long parole journey and how his chang...
After over 20 years of incarceration, Uncuffed producer Nate McKinney is going home. Like other lifers in the system, he could have been incarcerated for life. But recently, the Board of Parole Hearings found him suitable to re-enter society. In today's episode, stories of facing the board — and wishes for a friend heading back into the big wide world. Learn more, and donate to support the program: www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Transcripts ar...
After serving a sentence in prison, re-entry into the free world can come with complicated feelings and experiences – especially when release comes in the middle of a global pandemic. Uncuffed producers Chanthon Bun and Joe Kirk were both released in 2020 and are still adjusting to life after prison. Kirk spent time in the shelter system, and Bun has a deportation order hanging over his head. But despite their struggles, they both find meaning in helping others, and fighting for change. In this ...
For most of us in prisons, the pandemic has meant a year of even more restrictions than usual. No in-person visits, and months without classes or groups. To deal with that isolation, a lot of us turned to music. So today, we’re talking about the songs that kept our spirits up through the year. We hope they do the same for you. Check out our playlist on Spotify to enjoy these songs on their own: bit.ly/UncuffedPlaylist. Learn about Uncuffed at WeAreUncuffed.org.
It's been almost a year since friends and family have been able to visit their loved ones in prison, due to the pandemic. Letters to the inside are always a lifeline. This year, more than ever.
Unconfined is a new series of special episodes that feature Uncuffed producers navigating life after incarceration. Joe Kirk is one of thousands released early from California prisons to slow the spread of COVID-19. The world he returned to was something he never prepared for.
Chanthon Bun caught the coronavirus at San Quentin Prison during one of the worst outbreaks in the country. On top of the usual challenges people face when they parole, Bun had to deal with COVID recovery, survivor's guilt, and the fear that ICE would put him back in a different kind of prison. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook. Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming ou...
The COVID-19 outbreak in prisons across California is taking an incredible toll — not only on the people inside, but on the families and friends of incarcerated people. And because of the pandemic, our producers on the inside can’t access their recording equipment. So today, you’ll hear from the friends and family outside of prison, reading letters to their loved ones stuck on the inside.
Disease can spread quickly in prisons. In this special conversation from Uncuffed, the men of Solano Prison share their thoughts on the global coronavirus pandemic, and what it would mean if it came inside. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook.
