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One of the unfortunate stereotypes about men's prisons is that they are full of bad dads and absent fathers. But if you spent any time with the people host Greg Eskridge did, it's clear that it's not true. Today on the show, we'll hear uplifting stories and positive memories of fathers and foster parents, and a special conversation about how fatherhood defines so many prison experiences — from being parented before prison to being a parent when you get out.Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.org. Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook.

Uncuffed is excited to present an episode from our friends at Concrete Mama, a prison podcast from Unincarcerated Productions inside the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. Concrete Mama just wrapped up their second season, and they’ve done episodes on everything from solitary confinement to foster care, to restorative justice. This episode, called "One Day At A Time," is all about addiction and recovery. And when you listen, it doesn’t feel like you’re hearing a podcast from the outside looking in. It feels like you’re pulling up a chair and sitting right in the middle of a recovery meeting.  You can find Unincarcerated Productions on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and by email at [email protected].  Uncuffed will be back with new episodes on September 23rd.

Family can mean a lot of different things. It can be the people we grew up with or the community we choose to keep close. Sometimes, we find family in unexpected places. In this episode, our producers discover long-lost relatives, learn about siblings they didn’t know they had, and even meet family members who surprisingly came back into their lives. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.org. Check out more DJ sets from the Uncuffed Playlist on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@weareuncuffed.  Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook.

The saying tells us that we should “dance like no-one is watching.” That’s easier said than done in prison, where lots of people are watching and many of them are judging. In this episode, we’re talking about it anyway. We’re breaking it down, busting a move, cutting a rug; we’ll hear stories about how dancing in prison can be a bridge between cultures or a way to connect with your kids. Dancing can break your heart, or it could even save your life. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.org. Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook.

In sports, even when the game is extremely physical, sometimes the biggest tests happen in our own minds. In this episode, we'll hear pieces from San Quentin and The California Institution for Women that show how healthy competition can help us connect us to other people and push us to do better ourselves. And even with a special chess match or a middle school track meet, those challenges can be way more than just games. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.org Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook.

We're kicking off Season 5 by going back in time to the defining childhood experiences of Uncuffed producers inside three California Prisons. Host Greg Eskridge introduces us to new storytellers at The California Institution for Women, San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, and Solano State Prison. We’ll hear how an accusation changed the course of one girl’s life, about a kid’s misguided dream to go to prison, and what happens when you’re forced into grown up situations too soon — whether in war, or on the streets. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.org Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook

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 the final episode of Season 4, Greg talks to other formerly incarcerated media makers — filmmaker Thanh Tran and Ear Hustle host and co-founder Earlonne Woods — about how to keep fighting the good fight.  Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.org Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed

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 believe people are more than their crimes. But it’s impossible to tell Greg’s full story without acknowledging this part of it. Today, in a short episode, Greg Eskridge shares a message about what happened over 30 years ago, and how he is taking accountability. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.org Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. 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 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 KALW.org.Thank you.

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, and realizing the value of something that may not be obvious until it’s gone. To listen to more episodes of Folktales from Sudan, visit: https://www.folktalesfromsudan.org

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://findingma.com and listen to his music on Spotify or Instagram. Take the Uncuffed Listener survey at www.uncuffed.org/survey, and support the program at uncuffed.org/donate  Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Follow us @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed

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 Rochelle Edwards, the therapist who facilitated the conversation between Greg and his mother, visit https://tjinstitute.org/about/ Take the Uncuffed Listener survey at www.uncuffed.org/survey Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.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

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 episode of the podcast aired three years ago. We're re-airing this popular episode while we take a short break. And you’ll want to stick around until the end to hear a very special update from Edmond and Avelina.  Uncuffed will be back with brand new episodes on June 19.  Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.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

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 and outside of prison. Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.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