Uncuffed

Goodbye, Solano State Prison — Welcome Home, Luis

By bf thames,

Jay Evans, Anthony Ivy, Bryan Mazza, Luis Gomez

Published March 12, 2024 at 6:00 AM PDT

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bf thames, Bryan Mazza, and Jay Evans interview Luis Gomez (second from right) at Solano State Prison right before he was released.

Last spring, Uncuffed producer Luis Gomez got some life-changing news: He found out he was eligible to leave Solano State Prison and go home. We’ll hear about the challenges he faced getting ready to leave, and what it’s been like for his fellow producers since he left.

I'm feeling excited, but nervous at the same time, you know? ... I'm ready though, you know? I'm ready to start this new page in my life.

Luis Gomez

The Uncuffed team meets Luis Gomez (second from right) ut — The Uncuffed team meets Luis Gomez (second from right) outside of Solano State Prison.

This episode was produced by bf thames, with help from Kathy Novak, Sonia Paul, and sound designer Eric Maserati-E Abercrombie.

This piece was brought to you by the team at Uncuffed. Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and donations from listeners like you. The producers fact-check content to the best of their ability. Content is approved by an information officer.

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Transcript Goodbye, Solano State Prison – Welcome Home, Luis.pdf

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Uncuffed From The Producers Of UncuffedPersonal Stories

bf thames

Brian “bf” Thames has published five non-fiction books while incarcerated over the last 30 years. A pending 6th book advocating self-reliance and better decision making in potentially dangerous encounters is on the way. Learning languages is an exciting pastime for him. He’s become reasonably fluent in French, conversational in Spanish, and learned ASL during the Covid-19 pandemic. His favorite animals are Great Danes, and any variation of parrots/parakeets. Acquiring general knowledge and education about the world and existence tends to make him giddy.

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Jay Evans

Walter "Jay" Evans Jr. is from Palm Springs CA. Born in 1975, he has been imprisoned since 1995. During this term, he has written plays, acted in a Shakespeare class, and earned a paralegal certificate from The Blackstone Career Institute. His intent in working with Uncuffed is to learn as much as he can and take it into the free world. He has plans to earn a broadcast journalism degree, or take the bar exam. He has written model legislation, and is a contributor to the ACLU, Anti-Defamation League, and Initiate Justice.

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Anthony Ivy

Anthony Ivy is originally from North Stockton, California. He is a producer for Uncuffed and was rcently released from prison after a 13 year sentence. While incarcerated, Anthony worked and produced many stories from the inside. Since Anthony's release, he is continuing the road to success from the other side of the walls.

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Bryan Mazza

An avid listener of radio, award winning podcaster, and published author, Bryan Mazza spends his time writing, teaching, and training service animals for those in need. A native of California, Mazza uses his experiences to help others and to shape his artistic perspective in his many endeavors in both radio and creative writing.

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Luis Gomez

Luis Balbino Bandilla Gomez was born in the US, and comes from a first generation immigrant Mexican family. He graduated in 2022 from Lassen Community College with Vice Presidential honors, obtaining his degree in Social Sciences. He plans to transfer to a 4-year University in pursuit of a major in Infrastructure Systems. He loves working with computers, helping others, and leads the management of KALW’s studio equipment and inventory at Solano CSP. As an Uncuffed producer, Luis makes personal public-interest stories that reflect his Mexican culture inside and outside of prison.

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