Uncuffed

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...

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.or...

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, F...

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 episo...

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 @W...

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/...

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 wit...

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 pr...

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,...

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 do...

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 withi...

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. F...

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...

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 Uncuf...

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...

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...

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: bi...

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 @WeAre...

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.

For the finale, we’re coming together for the holidays. You’ll hear from the…

In 2012, Eric "Maserati-E" Abercrombie picked up the guitar and has been performing ever since. Today, the producers talk about the music that helped them through some of the most difficult moments of their life, and what tools they use to channel and understand their own pain. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.weareuncuffed.org Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Insta...

Gordon Melvin learned how to do yoga by watching TV. Soon, he was leading classes on the yard. Today, we’re talking about vulnerability, masculinity, and what it takes to put your ass in the air.