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Uncuffed

Uncuffed

KALW 75 Episodes Aug 12, 2026

Uncuffed is an award-winning podcast that empowers incarcerated individuals in California to share their own stories. Produced in collaboration between incarcerated student producers and professional journalists, it explores the human experience of people before, during, and after their prison terms. The show aims to shed light on the realities of prison life and the justice system.

Episodes

S5, E3 - Dance Dance Revolution
S5, E3 - Dance Dance Revolution Aug 12, 2026 28:38 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.
S5, E2 - More Than A Game
S5, E2 - More Than A Game Jul 29, 2026 25:42 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
S5, E1 - Just A Kid
S5, E1 - Just A Kid Jul 15, 2026 29:08 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 dre
Get Ready For Uncuffed Season 5!
Get Ready For Uncuffed Season 5! Jun 19, 2026 02:46 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. 
S4, E11 - One Year Out
S4, E11 - One Year Out Aug 14, 2025 27:55 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 exhaus
S4, E10 - Being Accountable
S4, E10 - Being Accountable Jul 31, 2025 07:30 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 crime
Stand With Uncuffed
Stand With Uncuffed Jul 22, 2025 01:00 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
Uncuffed Presents: Folktales from Sudan
Uncuffed Presents: Folktales from Sudan Jul 17, 2025 12:55 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,
S4, E9 - Finding Home
S4, E9 - Finding Home Jul 3, 2025 29:31 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 a
S4, E8 - Mama
S4, E8 - Mama Jun 19, 2025 32:06 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 a
An Update From An Old Friend
An Update From An Old Friend May 22, 2025 32:51 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
S4, E7 - Home Cooking
S4, E7 - Home Cooking May 8, 2025 27:59 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 di

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