Uncuffed

Season 4, Ep. 11 - One Year Out

By Greg Eskridge,

Thanh Tran, Earlonne Woods, Ryan Pagan, Matt Sheppard , Vincent O'Bannon, Jeremy Strain, William Harris, André Davis, Anthony Gomez, Haena Worthing, Daphnye Luster, Keyna Osorio, Julie Harper, Koi Bagnerise, Patricia Bellows

Published August 14, 2025 at 6:30 AM PDT

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Host Greg Eskridge is settling into his new role as Uncuffed's Associate Program Director.

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.

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Transcripts are available within a week of the episode coming out at www.kalw.org/podcast/uncuffed

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Uncuffed From The Producers Of UncuffedPersonal Stories

Greg Eskridge

Greg Eskridge is a founding member of the Uncuffed radio program and podcast. For over a decade in San Quentin, Greg fostered an atmosphere of professionalism and dedication which led to the program producing great content and winning numerous awards. On July 23, 2024, Greg was released from San Quentin prison after serving 30 years and 25 days. He was welcomed by family, friends, and both current and former members of the KALW team. A few months later, Greg began working full-time as Uncuffed’s first Leadership Fellow, preparing him for leadership roles in the program. Greg looks forward to continuing to elevate the voices of system-impacted individuals.

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Thanh Tran

Thanh Tran is a media-maker and journalist, raised in South Sacramento. Thanh left San Quentin in 2022, is a Senior Policy and Communications Fellow with the Ella Baker Center, and an Advisory Board member for Uncuffed.

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Earlonne Woods

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Ryan Pagan

Ryan C. Pagan is a storyteller and multimedia producer raised in Riverside, California. He is currently the Program Lead of Forward This Productions at San Quentin State Prison. Ryan believes in changing society's perceptions of incarcerated people, and works to provide opportunities to at-risk youth.

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Matt Sheppard

Matt Sheppard is a screenwriter and comedian. He is a certified GOGI coach and lead facilitator for AVP (Alternatives to Violence Project). He is the co-founder of Trendsetters, a self-help group aimed to change the culture of prisons. Matt is also an international best selling author for his contribution to Journeys to Success Vol. 7, and he teaches the success principles of Napoleon Hill. He currently writes, directs, and edits for San Quentin Television.

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Vincent O'Bannon

Vincent O'Bannon is the photographer for San Quentin News, Chairman of the Big House Fitness Program, General Manager of the SQ Niners Flag Football Academy, Facilitator for AIDA (a domestic violence prevention program), and co-founder of the Concrete Rose Truck Driver Training Program. As an activist aiming to promote social justice from within, he also works as a member of San Quentin's Civic Engagement Group.

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Jeremy Strain

Jeremy Strain has been incarcerated for 18 years and never thought he'd be where he's at today, working with media and pro-social skills in the San Quentin Media Center. The media center has been his utopia, where's experienced growth, impact, strength, confidence, and communication. His experiences in the media center have given Jeremy the education and wisdom to to build his career dreams and goals. Aside from Uncuffed, Jeremy works with Forward This Productions. He has been apart of the rehabilitation remodeling program with Gavin Newsom, custody staff, non-profits, and visitors from all over the world. He lives by the words, "be positive, stay humble, and make impact."

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William Harris

William Harris is an aspiring policy maker and champion for social and criminal justice reform. He graduated from the Journalism Guild at San Quentin last year and is currently attending Mount Tamalpais College. He is studying to become an investigative journalist as well as an advocate for criminal justice reform. William's goal is to make the justice system work for everybody and to repair the community he once helped tear down.

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André Davis

André Davis is an audio journalism student in the Uncuffed Program at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. He's also a GRIP training facilitator, MTC student, a husband, a father, a loyal friend, and a pro-social advocate for change. He's a reformed incarcerated person who loves his family, friends, and continues to lead by example by being of service to his community.

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Anthony Gomez

Anthony Gomez is a film producer with Forward This Productions at San Quentin. He is passionate about storytelling and sees Uncuffed as another avenue to grow and develop in. Anthony hopes to have an impact on the false narratives surrounding people that are incarcerated. He's been incarcerated since the age of 18 and knows the transformation people can have when given opportunity and empowerment.

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Haena Worthing

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Daphnye Luster

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Keyna Osorio

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Julie Harper

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Koi Bagnerise

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Patricia Bellows

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