Ear Hustle

In the first episode of Ear Hustle’s all-new, all-New-York series, Nigel and Earlonne head to Brooklyn to hang out with incarcerated kids and staff at the Crossroads Juvenile Center. For Earlonne, it’s a trip down memory lane. For Nigel, it’s a crash course in interviewing teenagers. For listeners, it’s a window into the world of incarcerated young people and an innovative program called Drama Club. This is the first episode of “The Loop,” Ear Hustle’s six-part series about kids in New York City who are caught up, one way or another, in the criminal justice system. Ear Hustle would like to thank: Joanne Smith-Darden, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Ruth T. Koehler Endowed Professor in Children's Services, Michigan State University and Co-Director, SPARK Lab; Heather McCauley, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Michigan State University and Co-Director, SPARK Lab; and Adam Brown, Associate Professor, Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, City University of New York, for their tremendous support of this project. Big thanks, too, to the Drama Club team — including Josie Whittlesey, Cesar Rosado, Tiffany “Tiny” Cruz, Abby Pierce, Sophie Jones, and Ashley Adams. You can find out more about their work here. And thanks to Nancy Ginsberg, Aylese Kanze, and Commissioner Danhauser at New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services for saying “yes” to this project. As always, thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of our work. Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

What textures do you miss in prison? How is menopause handled behind bars? What makes you feel dignified? These are just some of the questions we collected from listeners on our live tour this summer through the South and Midwest. But instead of taking these questions back to California, we got them answered on the road. Thank you to everyone we talked to in Oklahoma: Angelica, Dusti, Sharee, Ashe, Victoria, Crystal, Jax, Christina, Brittany, Jasmine, Tabitha, Michelle W., and Michelle K. at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center; and Angel, Rocky, Angie, Felicia, Courtney, Shenice, Rebekah, Jamie, Raye, Phina, and Geneva at the Dr. Eddie Warrior Correctional Center. A big thank you to Ellen, Jordan, Lisa, and Melissa from Poetic Justice, and Kay Thompson at the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, for making our visit possible. Thank you also to the women we spoke to at the Ohio Reformatory for Women: Erica, Beth, Cheryl, Alyssa, Iyshia, Michelle, and Michelle. And another big thank you to Tara Nickle and Warden Maldonado at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, and visual artist Kirsta Benedetti for bringing us to ORW. This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams, David Jassy, Derrell Sadiq Davis, and Earlonne Woods. Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their ongoing support of the show. Don’t miss our six-part series, The Loop, about kids and incarceration in NYC. In your Ear Hustle feeds starting October 8. Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Revisiting our 2018 episode “Future on Ice,” about the lives of immigrants in San Quentin.Being an immigrant in an American prison can pose unique challenges, like deciding which racial group you’ll identify with. But sometimes the biggest hurdles don’t become apparent until the day you are released.Thanks to Martin Gomez, Miguel Sifuentes, Wayne Boatwright, Phoeun You, David Jassy, Ai Borey (aka PJ) and Marco Villa for sharing their stories with us. And thanks to Jose Diaz, Vicente Gomez and Gerardo Sanchez-Muratalla, the Three Guitarists.This episode was scored with music by David Jassy, with contributions from Antwan Williams. As always, much gratitude to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their continued support of Ear Hustle.“Nobody comes back” episodeBig thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Cat Schuknecht, Ear Hustle’s Senior Producer at the California Institution for Women, listens back to our 2023 episode “12 Hours on the Yard.” Inspired by the classic This American Life episode “24 Hours at the Golden Apple,” the Ear Hustle team documents one day in the life of San Quentin’s lower yard, from Haka dancing to dominoes; gospel to geese; and weight-lifting to waiting to get out.Thanks to everyone we spoke to while we were on the yard: Gerry Sanchez-Muritalla, Travis George, Miguel Alvarez, Louis Sale, James Names, Doc, Martin Zahorik, Arthur Jackson, Clark, Bryan Head, Rusiate Waqa, Situe Toluao, Arent D.J. Bradt, Trevor Woods, Reginald Thorpe, Don Peise, Russell Salgado, Jose Hernandez, Fernando Vasquez, Fred Catano, Larry Deminter, Steve Joe Martinez, Isaiah Jones, Daniel Hill, Chris Fuimaono, Daniel Le, Spencer Jonmark, Ralph Arreguin, Ezekiel Gonzalez, George Coles El, Corey J Smith, Robert Cole, William Hayes, Tyler Motherwell, Robert Chase, Jonathan Huynh, Chad Miller, Steven McKnight, Taiosisi Matangi, Navion Starks, Chris Marshall, Glenn Wilson, Ben Davis. Joseph Thompson, James Swindo, Kevin Brickman, Nelson Vega, Ken Sargent, Gabby Rigmaden, James Duff, Joe Tyes, Mike Antrobus, Tyler Cooper, Dennis Rogers, Armando Raymayor, Alfredo Hayes, Stanley Tillman, and Officer Acevedo.This episode was scored with music by Derrell Sadiq Davis, Rhashiyd Zinnamon, Fernando Arruda, and Earlonne Woods. Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Recently, Earlonne was drafted for a mysterious task: to pose for a photo with Nigel — wearing Minnie Mouse ears — while waving a fake “churro” in the air. (Earlonne, always a good sport, didn’t ask too many questions.) Here, in Nigel’s first-ever listener-inspired mystery episode, he finally learns what that was all about. Special thanks to Becky Bach for suggesting this subject and for joining Earlonne and Nigel in the studio, and to our inside team — Derrell Sadiq Davis, Tony Tafoya, and Tam Nguyen — for sharing their photographs and stories with us. This episode was scored with music by David Jassy, Lee Jaspar, Earlonne Woods, Antwan Williams, Fernando Arruda, and Derrell Sadiq Davis. Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.Our spring fundraiser is here! Learn more and donate at on.prx.org/4d5WnCm. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Women serving serious time for having killed someone while driving drunk form a distinct culture in prison, and often struggle to fit in. We visit two California prisons to meet women who are still grappling with a life that’s very different than the one they’d expected. Thank you to Olivia, Grace, Jessica, Theresa, Tatanisha, Michelle, Hannah, Sopehia, Pamela, and everyone else we spoke to at the California Institution for Women for this story. At the Central California Women’s Facility, thank you to Latisha, Coleen, Connie, Constance, Sherri, Kaylee, Keri, Donna, Mary, Otilia, Gizelle, and Amy, for sharing their stories with us.This episode was scored with music by David Jassy, Antwan Williams, and Earlonne Woods.Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.Our annual fundraiser is here! Learn more and donate: on.prx.org/4d5WnCm Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Listeners had a lot to say about two recent episodes featuring residents of California’s death row, especially “Different Sides of the Earth,” which focused on condemned women. “It was hard to hear the joy, laughing, etc.” wrote one listener, “when you know about some of their crimes.” Your messages and comments gave us a great excuse to dive into some of the thorny editorial issues our team wrestles with behind the scenes. In this special episode, Earlonne and Nigel join Executive Producer Bruce and Senior Editor Amy for our first-ever roundtable conversation about the role of crime and remorse in the stories we tell. Big thanks to our listeners for sharing their thoughts with us. (Ear Hustle listeners are the best listeners.) We look forward to doing more of these response episodes in the future. Thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices