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Uncuffed

Mothering from prison isn't easy

KALW / Uncuffed
Julie Harper was a participant in the 2025 Uncuffed cohort at the California Institution for Women

Julie Harper had her daughter later in life, as a single mom. But a few years later, she was incarcerated. Now she has to parent from prison. While it has been challenging, she has managed to maintain a relationship with her daughter, one she only hopes will get better if she is released.

This piece was created by student producers in the Uncuffed audio storytelling training program, in partnership with journalists at KALW Public Media. 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. Content is approved by an information officer.

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Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program at www.uncuffed.org

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Uncuffed From The Producers Of Uncuffed
Julie Harper is a graduate of the University of Southern California, with honors, and holds a masters in business administration (MBA). She is a leader, media-maker, entrepreneur, and event speaker. She has worked in diverse industries in the corporate world and her own companies: as a director of communications for a technology service company, creating digital training and marketing materials through a partner relationship management system; as a VP of marketing and sales, launching a business education software company; and as a real estate broker and CA notary -- all while raising her young children. In her 20s, she traveled to numerous countries across six continents and obtained her PADI certification for scuba diving, both passions she hopes to return to. Today her vision includes being a storyteller, producing documentaries and podcasts, empowering women and young girls, as well as being an activist to change policy in the criminal justice system for first time violent offenders who are survivors of intimate partner violence, to help them recover from PTSD instead of re-traumatizing them.
Uncuffed
Stories from inside California prisons