Uncuffed

Uncuffed is back for Season 5! Stay tuned for powerful and personal stories made by people in California prisons. Host Greg Eskridge will introduce us to a talented group of storytellers stepping up to the mic for the first time at the California Institution for Women, San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, and Solano State Prison. New episodes drop July 15. 

It’s been just over a year since Greg Eskridge walked out of the San Quentin gates after spending 30 years in prison, and he has been busy! Greg has spent the year reconnecting with family, navigating parole, and finding new meaning in the concept of home. He is also settling into a new role at work, where he's helping to direct the Uncuffed program. It’s a dream job, but it can be exhausting. In...

All season long, host Greg Eskridge has been sharing his story — from experiencing homelessness in his childhood, to the decades he spent in prison. He’s also sharing what his freedom looks like – starting a new life on the outside and having hard conversations with family. Now, he’s sharing another very personal part of his story. Normally, on Uncuffed, we don’t talk about people’s crimes. We bel...

The federal government just cut all support for public media. KALW, which brings you Uncuffed, will lose about $400,000 a year — money that helps us teach people in prison and bring their stories to you. Now is the time to stand with KALW, to stand with Uncuffed, and to stand with people in prison whose stories need to be heard.  Become a member of KALW by making a monthly donation. Join us at KAL...

Uncuffed is excited to present a story from one of our new favorite podcasts, Folktales from Sudan. These are stories from Sudanese folklore for the whole family, told by award-winning  public radio journalist and storyteller Hana Baba. On this episode, you'll hear “The Father and Three Sons," a tale of misunderstanding and judgment between a parent and child. It’s also about forgiveness, healing,...

Getting out of prison is often called 'going home.' But when people have been away from it for so long, the idea of home can be complicated. In this episode, host Greg Eskridge shares three stories from Uncuffed producers about finding a sense of family, community, and shelter in unexpected places — everywhere from a treehouse to a car wreck in a canal. Check out Thanh Tran’s documentary at https:...

What does a mother’s love feel like? Growing up, Greg didn’t feel the love he wanted from his mother, and he held onto that pain for over three decades. This episode, Greg finally has an honest conversation with his mother about his childhood. And, we’ll hear from moms and caregivers at the California Institution for Women about the challenges of being a mother from prison. To learn more about Roc...

Longtime listeners might remember a special episode of the podcast inviting listeners to a wedding inside San Quentin. In 2022, one of the producers from our original San Quentin cohort, Edmond Richardson, married the love of his life, Avelina. Today, all six of the members of that first cohort have been released from prison. Edmond came home late last year, and so much has happened since that epi...

It’s no secret that the food inside prison is – to put it mildly – not great. That’s why folks in prison often daydream about memorable meals from their pasts, and find creative ways to make their own food inside their cells. Today on the episode, host Greg Eskridge goes to his first Thanksgiving dinner in over 30 years. We’ll hear about the magic of a shared meal and how it can bridge divides in...

As a little kid, Anthony Ivy thought to himself, “When I grow up, I want to be a hustler.” He got what he wanted, but he also ended up in prison. Eventually, that same drive led him to a brand new hustle on the outside. This time, it’s legal. This week, we’re handing over the mic to Ivy. He’ll share his story and tell you about an amazing Uncuffed Program you may not have heard about — the Uncuffe...

Sometimes its easier to keep up with a lie, especially when you're worried that the truth will hurt those you care about most. In this episode, we'll hear stories about people who work up the courage to open up with their families, despite the hurdles in front of them. And for the first time, we’ll hear a roundtable discussion from our new participants at the California Institution for Women (CIW)...

Fire Escape is a ground-breaking podcast that explores the world of incarcerated firefighters through the real-life story of Amika Mota. Listen to a clip from the first episode, and follow Fire Escape on the Wondery App, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Visit www.wondery.com/links/fire-escape to listen to this incredible story today!

What happens when you want to change your name, and the person behind it? This week, Uncuffed shares stories about all the things we’re called — nicknames, gang names, names meant to hurt us, or names meant to take our identity away — and what it means to get rid of that old self and call ourselves something else. If you're looking for support, you can call the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860. It's...

The ‘90s were a pivotal time in California history, and people in prisons are still living with the consequences. That decade, California incarcerated more than 60,000 people, many of them Black men. Some of those people are still living inside California prisons, including a few of our Uncuffed producers. In this episode, Uncuffed goes back in time -- to the early '90s, to talk about life changin...

What happens when you get out of prison after 30 years? There's a lot of celebration, and also a lot of serious catching up to do. And who do you turn to if something goes wrong? Greg gets advice from friends who also recently came home. And inside San Quentin, André Davis talks about going from flunking the first grade decades ago, to finally getting ready to graduate college.  Our work in prison...

Last summer, something monumental happened. One of Uncuffed's founding producers, Greg Eskridge, came home after more than 30 years in prison. In this episode we’ll bring you back to that emotional day last summer when he walked out of the San Quentin gates, free at last. Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, i...

KALW's award-winning podcast Uncuffed is back with a brand new season! First episode drops on January 30th. 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

A message from Uncuffed alum Anthony Ivy: After 12 years behind bars, I’m now living life on the outside, navigating this new chapter. Since getting out, I’ve been hired and mentored by Uncuffed. I’m currently enrolled in KALW’s Audio Academy program and an Uncuffed audio engineering class. I’m also working as an associate producer for the DJ Uncuffed Playlist. This program has been life-changing....

The Uncuffed producers can't vote. But you better believe they still have opinions. On this episode, ballot measures that would change prison life in California. And, a fresh take on the "felon vs. prosecutor" narrative dominating the presidential race.  California voting rights and information: https://bit.ly/CAVotingRightsWithARecord People in prison need to be heard. At Uncuffed, we make that h...

Uncuffed is pleased to share the new podcast, Track Change. Follow a group of men in Richmond, Virginia as they record an album inside a local county jail - a soundtrack to rebuilding a life after incarceration.

In California, incarcerated people legally have to work. One thing the jobs have in common? The next-to-nothing pay. Uncuffed gets down to business on the topic of involuntary servitude. 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...

Brian Asey at San Quentin on "All My Life," by K-Ci & JoJo. It's the Uncuffed My Mixtape, where we listen to our producers' favorite songs. 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

Childhood trauma, embracing differences, and putting your heart out there - what it feels like to return home after prison. A special re-entry episode 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/uncuf...

Anthony Ivy and Timothy Hicks on “Locked Up” by Lil Durk and "Grinding All My Life" by Nipsey Hussle. It’s the Uncuffed My Mixtape, where we listen to our producers’ favorite songs. 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...

Meet an Uncuffed producer as he leaves prison. Luis shares his hopes for a new life, and his colleagues inside talk about getting used to a reality without him. 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