As of now, he works as a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of Ear Hustle at PRX alongside Nigel Poor. Not one bit, you know? And I'm not even talking about physically intimate, but just emotionally intimate is against regulations. They ask how you are. GROSS: To stay sane in a situation like that. Earlonne Woods is a popular American podcaster. And they - and I received 31 years to life. All rights reserved. [5][15] In 2020, alongside Poor and co-host Rahsaan Thomas, Woods was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting. Wake up to the day's most important news. So prison was more like, oh, hey, this is a place to go and continue your gang activity, continue your destructive behavior. And when it actually happened, it was a - it was an awakening in me, like, oh, I don't - why is we living this way, you know? Not at all. ERIN: No, I don't feel you're being unfair at all, and I don't ultimately know what my hesitancy is. And when I went to prison, it was pretty much the California Department of Corrections, and there was not a rehabilitation on the name then. This piece has been updated with news of Woods hiring onto the podcast team. California Gov. Shes holding on. I used to sit there and ask God, "Like, why am I living if I have to die?" And I think at that age I was questioning God. Tyra got arrested first for kidnap and robbery. Can I ask how your relationship is changing now that you're both outside? POOR: And the other thing is we've always - we've tried to always keep this as equal as possible. Woods is a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of PRXs Ear Hustle with Nigel Poor. He has the age of 49. ERIN: Oh, [expletive]. And then I got into the lifestyle of robbing drug dealers. You know, he running the streets. And y'all having these intimate conversations about, you know, why you went down this path or what it was like being a survivor, what it was like being this. Also with us is Nigel Poor. Before creating the podcast, Woods and Poor did interviews with inmates in San Quentin for public radio station KALW in San Francisco. And we used to do, like, healing circles. I'm not doing that. And a chase pursued. But very quickly, when we started talking about photography - I was teaching a history of photography class - that kind of melted away. How do we present this? Jerry Brown is releasing Woods from San Quentin State Prison after two decades behind bars. And just listening to her tell her story to us and knowing that I've been in these type of situations or knowing that I've been probably on the other side of the gun or whatever the case may be and just hearing her loss, hearing her heartfelt testimony about this was really - it was shakening (ph), you know? In 2018, California governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne Woods' sentence, citing Ear Hustle as a significant contributor to his reformation as an American citizen. [12][13][14] Since his commutation, Woods has become involved in campaigns to repeal California's three strikes laws. His mother was a postal worker and his father was an unemployed alcoholic, who Woods described as violent and distant. And he's standing in a group. Therefore, it is not known if Earlonne is single, dating, or married. POOR: That's his obsession. It focuses on both the personal and the political, shedding light on issues of mass incarceration and the criminal justice system by telling intimate, humanizing stories, like the tale of one inmates obsession with keeping small critters as pets in his cell or anothers struggle to be intimate with his wife while behind bars. I told him that constantly. For Walter "Earlonne" Woods, the path to freedom was podcasting. POOR: It is a different world over there. Trevor has done 14 years of a 36-year sentence. He works as a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of Ear Hustle at PRX alongside Nigel Poor. GROSS: The new, as yet, unannounced host will be with you (laughter). And I listen very carefully to how you talked about your relationship and how much you thought about it and how painful and joyous the whole experience was for you. SHAPIRO: Nigel Poor told us that when Earlonne Woods came back POOR: He was walking with a lot of air in his step. Ive been taking showers for like 20 years.. [11], In November 2018, then California Governor Jerry Brown commuted Woods' sentence, saying he had "clearly shown that he is no longer the man he was when he committed this crime" and that "he has set a positive example for his peers and, through his podcast, has shared meaningful stories from those inside prison. Ear Hustle was the first podcast to be created entirely inside a prison. Earlonne resides in the United States. So I'm trying to like - I'm trying to partner with you here. He commuted my sentence to be released forthwith, immediately, right now, its time to go, time to walk out that gate, he added, laughing. [1][10] As of Season 4, Woods continues to make the podcast from outside prison, while Rahsaan "New York" Thomas was announced as a new co-host for recordings done inside San Quentin. And so that's the point that I'm struck by - that human beings in a moment can do something with devastating consequences. He is now 47. I hope you'll join us. In 1997, Earlonne was sentenced to thirty-one years to life in prison. And I got out in '95. HuffPost visited Woods at San Quentin earlier this year to discuss why he created the podcast. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. We don't really do stories about people's crimes at all. Earlonne became preoccupied with reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for people who had previously been incarcerated, as well as documenting his own experiences. He likes to keep his personal life private hence Earlonne has not mentioned any details concerning his marital status. Here you guys are, poking and - poking and prodding. I'm not doing this. Like, me personally, what I took away from a lot of things is that, yeah, I may have robbed a person for, let's say, $1. Woods was involved in an attempted robbery in 1997, when he was in his 20s. Why we living like we don't care - because this is somehow how we grew up and how - since as early teenager we've been living in the streets, in the gangs. You're more looking at what you're getting out of the situation. E WOODS: Well, I think - so I'll say this. Or would you just as soon not know and just judge them based on what they present to you in their interactions with you? What keeps your hopes up? We'll be right back. So you'll never get the opportunity to be in front of people to present the person that you are today. Earlonne became preoccupied with reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for people who had previously been incarcerated, as well as documenting his own experiences. Is that OK? ARI. E WOODS: (Laughter) Not no time soon, no. So I think that's very damaging. Therefore, Earlonne earns a decent salary as a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of Ear Hustle at PRX alongside Nigel Poor. Earlonne continues to co-host the show with Nigel. He was sentenced to 31 years to life for attempted robbery in 1999. Earlonne was not only one of the co-hosts, he was one of the men incarcerated until his release in late November after California Governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence. But we knew that, you know, it's traditional for the governor to do these commutations right before Thanksgiving. He is 49 years old. And at the end of November, Governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence. Earlonne, tell us a little more about what happened to Tyler, how he was killed. And, Earlonne, since you served so much time, let's start with you. And I always wore black. And the thing that I noticed in particular about him was that whenever there was an issue going on - and, of course, inside prison, there's all kinds of issues - and if we would have to sit down to solve a problem, Earlonne was the one who would speak up, cut through all of the baloney and get to the point. The victims of a crime are faceless. While incarcerated at California State Prison, Centinela, Woods saw a documentary about the film school at San Quentin State Prison, and applied to transfer to that prison. I don't know what tomorrow brings, but I know what's happening today and right now. And, like a lot of inmates, he's been thinking about this moment for a long time. And for most people - for most people inside, they just want the chance to represent the person that they are today, you know? It's a job. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. And so being in prison has just really altered that. The show was still challenging to create, in part because none of the three producers had a background in audio production, but also because of prison administration red tape. "[9] She also praised its originality, "[using] prisoners' storytelling skills to show what it's like to spend decades behind bars. The two established a rapport,[6] and Poor proposed the idea of creating a podcast to Woods, who had previously not known what a podcast was. Ear Hustle is a non-fiction podcast about prison life and life after incarceration created by Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams, both formerly incarcerated, and Nigel Poor, an artist who volunteers at San Quentin State Prison. It was so kick-back and cool, meaning I take advantage of all these moments now. Earlonnes net worth is estimated to be $657,586. And it might help you. And I think that's a shared philosophy with everybody that's in prison - is that you have to just deal with what's going on today, you know, and just not let the pressures of prison just get to your core and crush you. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California . They dont stay the same people that they were when they committed their crime. So what - one of the things that I've really taken away from being in prison is that I've gotten an incredible glimpse into what it means to be a man and what men deal with. You're sitting across from law enforcement. Aaron Taylor. And so I want to play the part where you return to ask him that difficult question. Don't be - whatever you do, don't play with no guns. And so to hear this is what happened to him - ah. And when you're in that moment, I think it's more of crime to people in society that commit crime. He is 5 feet 7 inches tall ( Approx1.7 m). POOR: It's the bay - yeah, the bay, yeah. Our senior producer today is Roberta Shorrock. Ear Hustle co-hosted by Woods and Nigel Poor, an artist and volunteer at San Quentin interviews men in the prison about their lives there. It was the first podcast to be entirely created and produced inside a prison. So for me internally, I started my change. Ive been taking showers for like 20 years.. Why didn't you invite me (laughter)? E WOODS: Right. GROSS: That people can change and that you should look at the person and not just the crime - that you'd still be in prison, I mean? [5] The show features interviews with inmates who share their stories and opinions on topics like cellmates, solitary confinement, race, morality, pets, religion, gangs, and family. Earlonne Woods (@earlonnewoods) Instagram photos and videos earlonnewoods Follow 225 posts 24.1K followers 931 following Earlonne Woods Public figure Award winning Co-Creator + Co-Host, @earhustlesq . Due to the complex and time-consuming bureaucratic challenges associated with unusual prison activities, she decided that audio would be easier to manage than video. So I want to ask you each to choose one thing that you would like to change in the system of - in the prison system or in mass incarceration. GROSS: Yeah. And, you know, I pretty much raised - because my brother was locked up. It was a private wedding ceremony, according to accounts. I'd rather not know. And then when I got out, I hadn't put any skill sets together, you know? (SOUNDBITE OF NOEL BONNEVIE'S "DAHIL SA'YO"). But I took way more from that person than $1. What's it like to not think about that? Earlonne still co-hosts the show alongside Nigel. And it's the way people would hope other people think that, hey, OK, I've done my time. But that was a case that challenged my desire to not know and to - how to deal with the knowing once it's been presented to you. GROSS: A job because you thought it was, like, your only source of income? And then, I always say that, you know, a lot of people that volunteer - people like Nigel Poor, people like other volunteers that volunteer inside of prisons - are on the frontline of public safety because these are the people that's coming in and is trying to show you a different way of life or trying to help you understand differently, think differently. Thank you both so much for talking with us. His net worth is estimated to be $657,586. He is now 47. Woods said that the show chose the topic of cellmates for its first episode to ensure the show was relatable, since most people can relate to having a bad roommate. In terms of his romantic life, Park is happily married to his wife in South Korea. Earlonne was born in 1972, in the United States. And on their way back to the auntie's house, they were pulled over by Long Beach Police Department - two officers. They're very polite. She'll continue to do interviews inside San Quentin. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. It was a restorative justice group. I'm on a podcast. His sentence was commuted yesterday. Yes, he was quiet, but he was always present. Let's get back to my interview with Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the creators and hosts of the podcast Ear Hustle, featuring interviews with prisoners in San Quentin about their lives and what it's like to be incarcerated. She co-created the podcast with Woods and has co-hosted and co-produced it with him. GROSS: That Tyler was killed while they were in prison. They're the co-hosts and co-producers of the podcast Ear Hustle, which features interviews with men incarcerated in San Quentin about their daily lives and their personal stories. Nigel is a professor at California State University. No. Earlonne still co-hosts the show alongside Nigel. And at one point, he revealed to me that he had raped quite a few women. Earlonne, congratulations on life outside of prison. GROSS: Yeah. Ear Hustle was selected from 1,537 submissions, securing the funding for a 10-episode first season. What we did was humanize [prisoners], just by telling their stories, Woods said in February. And I thought, well, those are kind of qualities that you need to be able to bring people out. I have all the different people that I talk to as I work my way down to the media lab. They searched Tyler, and then they ran his name. POOR: And it's going to be a little bit hard. And when the men started filing into my class, I was like, oh, what have I done? They're waiting to get inside a club, and somebody from way across the street just shoot into the crowd, hit him in the heart, right? And the captain comes in. His commutation includes reference to Earlonne's work on the podcast. Namcy Wong. Does that mean we're self-absorbed? Nigel first went to San Quentin as a volunteer teaching photography. So we do stories about life inside prison. POOR: What are some of the things you think about when you fantasize about your life when you're out? Should we recognize the change, or once you did the act, that's who you are - your essence, your identity - and never to be considered? Woods said he was only trying to be helpful, but was arrested by local sheriffs who did not question why he had lifted the gate; Woods subsequently had to appear in juvenile court. As co-host of the 2019 Third Coast Awards Ceremony, Earlonne will make his return to the "Oscars of Radio." Last year, he beamed in via video ( watch here ) after winning a 2018 Best Documentary: Honorable Mention Award as part of the Ear Hustle team. What was your reaction when you found out? And it's all that some of the people that you choose to associate with do, you know? [7] They recruited fellow inmates Antwan Williams as the show's sound designer,[8] and submitted their idea for a podcast to a contest hosted by Radiotopia. An intimate view into the life and challenges of an asperger's spouse.It seems some marriages are so wonderfully stellar you have to look away or be blinded. Along with Nigel Poor, he is a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of Ear Hustle at PRX. Earlonne Woods was released from San Quentin in November after his sentence was commuted by Governor Jerry Brown. "[16] Quah contrasts standard prison narratives told entirely from an outsider's point of view with the interplay of insider and outsider perspectives provided by the hosts of Ear Hustle, with stories primarily told through Woods' and Williams' words and perspectives, and Poor in an active role adding "key narrative housekeeping". Earlier this year, we introduced you to a man named Earlonne Woods who got some big news yesterday. What's it like to not care about the person who you're robbing or the person who might be killed by a stray bullet? My guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-hosts and co-producers of Ear Hustle, a podcast featuring their interviews with men incarcerated in San Quentin. It focuses on both the personal and the political, shedding light on issues of mass incarceration and the criminal justice system by telling intimate, humanizing stories, like the tale of one inmates obsession with keeping small critters as pets in his cell or anothers struggle to be intimate with his wife while behind bars. So even though I'm hearing stuff and then I'm talking to him, he playing - he downplaying it. explores life inside San Quentin State Prison. You may be a changed individual, all the way changed, would never commit another crime. We know because they did a whole episode on getting parole. Yeah - the butcher cutters. WOODSON: I used to work for the captain at CIW in the program office. "[12] Woods later traveled to thank Brown and interview him for the podcast. I'm fine working with him now. Im thinking about my mama, shes 70. Woods was raised in South Los Angeles with his parents and his older brother Trevor. E WOODS: In between prison - when I got out - Tyler had just been born in '94. Earlonne Woods was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. GROSS: I want to thank you both so much. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR, and if you're just joining us, my guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor. GROSS: And, Earlonne, I look forward to your interviews with people who, like you, are transitioning back into society from prison. When asked earlier this year what was the first thing he would do if he got out, Woods said, Take a bath. And then the question is, well, what do we do about that? GROSS: If you're just joining us, my guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-hosts and co-producers of the podcast Ear Hustle. And Trevor, your brother, speaks first. It's - it's - I think being in a position to step away from it all and look back and say, man, I was on something else. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). I'd rather deal with anyone, actually, as they are in front of me at that moment. [2], Woods first went to prison at 17 for two concurrent convictions of kidnapping and robbing a drug dealer, and was released at 23. Tyra got arrested first for kidnap and robbery, and she was sentenced to 17 years. , after serving 21 years of a 31-years-to-life sentence. E WOODS: It is - they see something that I can't see. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California . And, Nigel and Earlonne, I want to wish you good luck with the retooled version of Ear Hustle now that Earlonne is out. It mentally puts you in a whole different space. I was on some - I would like to say other words, but I'm holding my (laughter) E WOODS: (Laughter) I'm on the radio. In 2020, Ear Hustle was named a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in audio reporting the first time the . E WOODS: Right, right. And that's the only way of life that you're accustomed to 'cause that's all you see. And they open fired on him. [5], Prior to Ear Hustle, Poor ran a photography class at the prison during which one of her students proposed making a documentary. He went up there. And that's pretty much what I did. So you recorded interviews with Trevor and Tyra talking about how difficult it is to maintain a relationship with your child when you're incarcerated and how difficult it is to help them stay out of trouble. Others are typical and comfortable, never rising to celebrity status but supplying its partners with a contented existence. GROSS: And you basically just described your own situation when you were incarcerated because you got 31 to life for attempted second-degree robbery. And so I want to play an excerpt of that. But I always go over to the fantasy game guys, and I'll just sit there for a minute and try to see if I even come close to understanding what's going on on that table. Earlonne Woods, 47, was recently released from San Quentin State Prison after California Gov. Earlonne continues to co-host the show with Nigel. So it's been a real eye-opener for me. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). "[15], The New Yorker's Sarah Larson said the show "might be the best new podcast Ive heard this year" and described it as being "about the creativity required to live a satisfying lifeor even a sane lifein prison, and is itself a product of that creativity. Earlonne is busy reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for originally incarcerated people, while also documenting his own experiences. In November 2018, Woods' sentence was commuted by California governor Jerry Brown. Earlonnes average salary is $61,244 per year. It addresses important issues about being human and how prisoners can be contributing citizens. And so we just started talking, and I realized that he was interested in thinking about how we could do interviews from more of an artistic perspective and not as journalists. He works as a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator with Ear Hustle at PRX alongside Nigel Poor. This lady - her name was Claire. --. Your nephew, his son, Tyler, was born in 1994. Once the details concerning Earlonne's marital status are available we shall update. He and Nigel are also the authors of This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life, a book that was inspired by the podcast and released by Crown/Random House. Accuracy and availability may vary. POOR: You get a lot of calls from guys at San E WOODS: I get a lot of 15-minute calls from prison. I mean POOR: No, we're not allowed. And I spend a lot of time in there. GROSS: Tomorrow on FRESH AIR, my guest will be writer Sigrid Nunez. POOR: So one of the things is that I really believe that people change. And as time went on, as years went on, I stuck to my guns. And then Trevor was arrested when their son, Tyler, was 10. Also Read: Earlonne Woods, . Once you commit your crime, people think thats what it is, but individuals change. Once the details concerning Earlonnes marital status are available we shall update. Earlonne Woods was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. We can go to a restaurant. [8][9][16] Vulture's Nicholas Quah noted a particular story a prisoner told about a frog in episode three: "a moment of levity in a setting often described in the worst of terms, a productive kind of conversation between the specificities of a person and the overpowering context of his incarceration. E WOODS: It's the bay. You know that it could be a possibility, but it's a possibility that you've seen pretty much your whole life, you know? I'd still be sitting in San Quentin in a cell with my brother. [3], Woods completed his General Educational Development in prison, as well as vocational courses such as auto mechanics. I love it. The prison also went on lockdown during production, halting work and requiring additional administrative steps to both create and release the audio. So I still had a 17-year-old mentality. [4] Its first season began on June 14, 2017. I was going to Nigel's house the other day, and I was an hour early. Redmond O'Neal is a voice actor, Hollywood celebrity, and Star Kid from the United States. Earlonne has not yet revealed any information about his parents. Brown cited Woods' leadership in . So I'm going to enjoy. The rest of it is just an enhancement. After 21 years in prison, Governor Brown the great governor of California decided that I served enough time, Woods said in the latest episode of Ear Hustle. But you may have the African-Americans who go to prison and they're at certain places and you don't get that question. It looked so good on you. It's like - I think they're not under the constraints or the pressures to not accept people. After California Governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence last month, Woods reflects on. He gave up his brother name. GROSS: And that was because - you got such a long sentence because one crime had you convicted on two counts, so that counted as two strikes. So on December 7, 1994, I murdered my ex-girlfriend, the mother of my now-25-year-old daughter. He's able to call me collect. You know, he was - you know, I even - I'm talking to him all the time. So it be at prison, I'm going to enjoy my day every day because at the end of the day, this is all I got, you know? And you've said in the past that he was always the quietest person in the room, but you could tell he was a good observer. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Earlonne was an inmate as well as a host. GROSS: That was Governor Jerry Brown interviewed by my guests Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor. And I think - I didn't - I didn't become accustomed to the lifestyle of working or having a job, you know? And you have another 11 to go. They had left the auntie's house. E WOODS: Yeah, so that's cool. And the phone rang in the media lab. If you're just joining us, my guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-hosts and co-producers of the podcast Ear Hustle, which features interviews with men incarcerated in San Quentin Prison about their daily lives and their personal stories. GROSS: Earlonne, what's the custom among men in San Quentin? GROSS: OK, so that was a little more than five years ago that Tyler was killed. POOR: Well, let me ask you this - do you feel like we're being unfair trying to make you do this? Earlonne is of white ethnicity and American nationality. Earlonne Woods is an American podcaster and author, best known for co-hosting and co-founding the podcast Ear Hustle in 2017, and co-authoring the book This Is Ear Hustle in 2021. In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, Lexi Mainland wrote "The runaway hit Ear Hustle never takes a broad look at criminal justice policy or employs Voice of God narration. This is what we work for because there comes a moment in every person in prison's life where the light switch go on. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, Lana Wolf, Eric Marcus, Robert Marawa, Who is Redmond ONeal? But he was released in November after his sentence was commuted by California Governor Jerry Brown. He is 5 feet 7 inches tall ( Approx1.7 m). But of course when someone's in prison and the other person's not, there's so many things you can't do. How do you survive? POOR: We can taste each other's food 'cause, you know, in prison you can't share food with people. Earlonne Woods is an American podcaster and author, best known for co-hosting and co-founding the podcast Ear Hustle in 2017, and co-authoring the book This Is Ear Hustle in 2021. So I think what kept me sane is that I had the philosophy where, I am going to live to the best of my ability every day that I have left on this Earth no matter where I'm at. Jerry Brown. (SOUNDBITE OF GOLDMUND'S "THE BALLAD OF BARBARA ALLEN"). (SOUNDBITE OF JOHN COLTRANE'S "OUT OF THIS WORLD"). FRESH AIR's executive producer is Danny Miller. POOR: OK. And the officer came back, was like, you're too tall for that name. ALEX BLUMBERG: And so a friend of Earlonne's, a volunteer at the prison, had an idea: with this spotlight on his work, and having served now two decades of his 31-to-life sentence, Earlonne should put in for a commutation -- make an official appeal to the governor, to set him free. He is a man of average stature. E WOODS: So on November 19, Tyler and his auntie and some other lady went to 7-Eleven to get a pack of cigarettes. In 1997, Earlonne was sentenced to thirty-one years to life in prison. Why am I doing this? E WOODS: It was devastating because I had - one, I had just talked to Tyler, like, probably the day before. Tyler had missed a court appearance, so he feared that he would be locked up. [9], In a Rolling Stone article about the show, Tana Ganeva called it "a fascinating, harrowing and also deeply entertaining look into life on the inside that runs the full gamut of emotions. Who is Kourtney Kellar? E WOODS: And she even got mad at me the other day E WOODS: 'Cause I left dinner with everyone, and I went to the movies by myself to go see "Vice" (laughter). Nigel is a professor of photography at California State University in Sacramento. It's about a writer whose friend and former mentor kills himself. [11], By September 2021, Ear Hustle episodes had been downloaded over 54 million times. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College and completed many vocational trade programs. And my mindset, regardless of where I'm at, I'm going to live to the best of my ability. There's a man that I worked with for quite a while that I was very fond of. He is also involved in the Repeal California's Three Strike Coalition, which aims to end California . So now we can actually do that and even POOR: Hopefully go to other countries, too. So you become accustomed to that lifestyle. I went in and ended up in a security housing unit a couple of times for lengthy stays and just continued my pretty much destructive behavior all the way out. I felt like in Earlonne I found a true professional colleague. I think maybe 14 years in my sentence, I went to San Quentin. POOR: While you're thinking, can I tell you some of the things that are just going through my mind about it? And it's just about - you know, they accept anybody, you know? So you can't wear blue, which is what they wear. You know, when I was out for the two years 10 months, I raised Tyler, you know? So you're interviewing a prisoner who - he and one of the volunteers fell in love, and so she stopped working there in any capacity, and they got married. Our associate producer for digital media is Molly Seavy-Nesper. GROSS: Nigel, let me bring you into the conversation. No, people get up to a thousand years to life for something that they've done in their past. I'm Terry Gross. But, as to being cool with it, it's what it is. NIGEL POOR: You know, E, you've been in prison 20 years. "When. I get to see how they express love and tenderness and fear and frustration and how they posture and what's behind that. E WOODS: He got a hell of a collection of vinyl. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College and completed many vocational trade programs. E WOODS: Right. For the first few months after Earlonne Woods was released from San Quentin in November, his "Ear Hustle" podcast co-host Nigel Poor kept receiving photos of ice cream on her phone. I've never felt scared or disrespected. And it was one of the restore justice symposiums. Through his podcast, [Woods] has shared meaningful stories from those inside prison.. And you really get a better understanding of your impact that you've personally had on people in society. ERIN: I don't - I don't know. E WOODS: Well, me growing up the way I grew up, I grew up in a lifestyle where I was young when I got into selling drugs, and I was - I was real young. I'm not doing this. I think it's about probably 20 people from there that call me collect. I mean, there's two likely outcomes if you're robbing drug dealers. The podcast team announced Tuesday that it will hire Woods as an employee on the show. [9], On November 21, 2018, producer Earlonne Woods's sentence was commuted by California governor Jerry Brown. TYRA WOODSON: And he began acting out. I don't know if it's a lake. You start really understanding what the word community means and what your participation in community is about, you know? California Gov. E WOODS: I think - I was just tripping off - he was just peeling back one of the Beatles POOR: Oh, yeah. China. In some ways, like, I find it hard to understand that somebody, like, wouldn't have any empathy for the victim and wouldn't care. And to hear how it happened to him and to hear that he was shot 19 times, you know - and I just try to visualize, like, what he was going through at the time he was being shot at by those officers. Other officers got involved. POOR: So we were in the media lab working and - you know, trying to work, trying to stay concentrated. Eventually, the marriage fell apart. Tyler was sent to live with extended family. It received 1,537 entries from 53 countries. And, you know, we was clowning on the phone. - like, was with him pretty much every day. You know, prison, I'm going to live to the best of my ability. "Ear Hustle" features stories from prison told by prisoners - their intimate, honest conversations about family visits, cellmates, solitary confinement - conversations like this one between Earlonne Woods and his co-host Nigel Poor, who's not an inmate. Woods is expected to be released on parole in the coming days, after serving 21 years of a 31-years-to-life sentence. So how do you keep going? So I think I did what, pretty much, my community did that was around me. POOR: There's something I have to talk to you about. WOODS: It's unrealistic, but I think about just getting out of San Quentin, jumping in the water and swimming to my yacht and going around the world. When Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods met, Poor was a photography professor volunteering with the Prison University Project, and Woods was serving thirty-one years to life at California's San Quentin State Prison. She first started working at San Quentin in 2011 as a volunteer in the Prison University Project, teaching the history of photography. Like, I just walked away, you know? He and Nigel are also the authors of This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life, a book that was inspired by the podcast and released by Crown/Random House. I don't know. Woods and Poor cohost the show while Williams does the show's sound design, working in San Quentin's media lab to record music and effects, including foley work. You know, they get to see each other in passing. Jack Rhysider Darknet Diaries Bio, Wiki, Age, Wife, Salary, and Net Worth, Marc Smerling Film Producer, Bio, Wiki, Age, Height, Wife, and Net Worth, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, List of States in the US, Alphabetical list of States in the U.S., and Abbreviation of States in United States. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. As a result, it is unknown whether Earlonne is single, dating, or married. I pretty much raised Tyler from '95 to '97, when I got arrested. So we're going to strike you out this time. Jerry Brown. And so I found out what you're in prison for. Kourtney Kellar models for a variety of periodicals, companies, Toni Storm is a famous New Zealand-Australian wrestler, social media influencer, Instagram personality, OnlyFans star, and entrepreneur from Auckland, New Zealand. The podcast title, Ear Hustle, is prison slang for eavesdropping or being nosy. Even after Woods is out on parole in Oakland, California, Ear Hustle said that it will continue, with Poor telling more tales from those inside San Quentin and Woods talking about the journey to re-enter society after years behind bars. Woods has served 21 years of a 31 to life prison sentence. GROSS: Well, why don't we take a short break here, and then we'll talk some more? [3][4] In 1997, at the age of 25, he was arrested for attempted second degree robbery. Poor is a professor of photography at California State University in Sacramento. The responding officers shot him five times, killed him. Earlonne Woods Wife Earlonne resides in the United States. The San Francisco Public Library chose the title for its One City One Book citywide community reading program in 2022. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods are gifted storytellers, and their ability to draw intimate, authentic stories out of others is extraordinary. POOR: You know, a kind of joy I never really experienced before - I mean, it's - you know, to be so happy for him and being in prison and not wanting to cry (laughter) - you know, trying to hold it together. Like, my mother used to bring him. SHAPIRO: Like in a restaurant, at your house, any POOR: Yes. Since the podcasts launch in 2017, its been downloaded millions of times, featured in media outlets from NPR to The New York Times, and made several best of podcast rankings. With grace and humor they walk through what life is really like behind bars, showing the humanity and depth of those they meet inside." --Catherine Burns, artistic director, The Moth "I listen to Ear . They eventually met this person. Earlonne Woods, co-host of the popular prison podcast Ear Hustle, had his sentence commuted by California Gov. GROSS: My guests are Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods, the creators and hosts of the podcast Ear Hustle about life inside San Quentin Prison. But yeah, I can't. Earlonne was both host and inmate, but he was released in November after his sentence was commuted by California Governor Jerry Brown. Poor, a professor of photography at CSU Sacramento, was volunteering with the Prison University Project at San Quentin State Prison when she met Woods, who was serving a 31-year-to-life sentence. You have to go through a lot of E WOODS: Yeah, it's a lot of stuff you have to go through. Redmond O'Neal is the son of American actor Ryan O'Neal and Farah Fawcett (an America. Woods, 47, was recently released from San Quentin State Prison after California Gov. And I got into this group. I think I was probably like eight years old when it came to me that one day I have to die. Nigel Poor assures us the podcast will continue with Earlonne contributing stories from the outside. Poor's teaching work led her to a vast archive filled with photographs taken from life inside the prison that she began using in . It was - and it's not just her. GROSS: Earlonne, how did you learn how to keep your calm and live in the kind of confined situation you were in during the more than two decades that you were incarcerated? It was like 2 in the morning. Earlonne is busy reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for people who were previously incarcerated, as well as documenting his own experiences. E WOODS: So I think that goes into, like, what they call politics in prison and where, you know, you may have certain prisons that it matters what you're in prison for like - and it's a difference on a race level. And it just puts you in a whole different space, you know? The two bonded over a love of storytelling and with no formal experience, began a podcast together where they showcase the . Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. And I stopped by this lake. But it was just - it was spectacular. Like, he just seemed lighter and shiny and fresh. And I have a lot of friends that's in prison that has 200 years, 300 years to life for maybe attempted second-degree robbery. WOODS: That's something that a lot of us behind bars fantasize about - getting out and leading a normal life. Earlonne Woods, co-host of the popular prison podcast Ear Hustle, had his sentence commuted by California Gov. Like, you may have guys that are Hispanics or whites who, when they get to a certain prison, their race is like, let me see your paperwork. Earlonne is 5 feet 7 inches tall ( Approx1.7 m). Woods was unaware his two convictions as a juvenile counted as two 'strikes', which made his conviction at 25 count as his third under California's three strikes law. That was something that was volunteered to me. In April 1989, a drive-by shooting in San Francisco, CA, left at least 11 people injured, and 2 people dead. But the - the problem is is that a lot of the sentences are a hundred years, 200 years, 300 years. Then there are those marriages that become the subjects of books . I wouldn't spend time in a place that made me uncomfortable or I didn't like. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California . In November 2018, Woods' sentence was commuted by California governor Jerry Brown. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. And when I went in the second time, my friend Furman Little (ph) was killed the night we were arrested. So what - what were the first communications like in which you tried to see, but is he a good interviewer? And I was paroled when I was 23, about to turn 24. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. This is FRESH AIR. GROSS: And Nigel, just as a person who's constantly interacting with inmates at San Quentin, do you want to know what they're incarcerated for, what crime they were convicted of? I was hoping I could talk to you a little bit about it. You - you - you always feel that you're better than getting killed, like you would never get killed. Behind 'Ear Hustle,' The Podcast Made In Prison. And I just said, when you come back, you're going to be almost a free man. I'm doing that. "[9] The series is not overtly political, but Poor emphasizes the way the show can have a humanizing effect, making listeners care about the men they hear on the show and wonder why one of the hosts might serve a life sentence for attempted robbery. So I was nervous at first to go in because, I mean, my head was full of all the images that, you know, of - from bad TV, bad movies, bad media about what prison was going to be like. But after you recorded that interview, you found out something about him and decided, like, you could not play that interview unless you asked him another question. It instead offers the even more illuminating dialogue of individual prisoners. And then I saw him in this awesome, orange T-shirt that had some brown in it. When Earlonne was incarcerated in San Quentin, he and Nigel Poor started the podcast Ear Hustle. POOR: I'm so glad you asked about this. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. He was born and brought up in the United States to his caring and supportive parents. You were OK with that? And I'm playing this because it's about knowing where the line is when you're interviewing prisoners and sometimes to have to ask something that's going to make them uncomfortable. [3], Woods met artist and volunteer Nigel Poor, who was teaching photography at the film school. So you look at the time wasted, and you look at, man, if I knew better or I should've did better. I don't know. Presently, Earlonne has not mentioned any details concerning his parents. We will update you once we have more information about Earlonnes marital status. Like, what was all this for? In 1997, Earlonne was sentenced to thirty-one years to life in prison. And they say Tyler just took off running. He had just became a paramedic or something. . POOR: How do we tell stories and leave out that part? I enjoy every second of every day. We'll be right back. And it was one of them, I guess could you say, moments where you just feel embarrassed about your previous conduct. A person can get certain - a certain amount of time for the crime that they commit. Los Angeles, CA. POOR: Earlonne described himself, and I described myself. T WOODS: I received an email from one of my partners. GROSS: And - so you interviewed him about commuting your sentence. Look. He said Woods has clearly shown that he is no longer the man he was when he committed the crime. Everybody we know live the same lifestyle, you know? I probably was like 14. E WOODS: I don't - I think when you're living in the moment, you feel untouchable. So I believe that crimes have sentencing under them. But on the second term after - once you receive a life sentence, there's no guarantee that you'll ever be released from prison. T WOODS: One the 19 - November 19, 2013 - federal prison - we have phones, and we have emails. He's also co-host of the podcast "Ear Hustle," which is why we had him on this program. So there's a rule that pertains to the volunteers who come in, and they're not allowed to have, like, close relationships with the prisoners, anything that gets really intimate or emotional. But the things that you do in your past do add dimension to who you are in this moment. And her son had attended a party. It didn't work out, unfortunately. "Ear Hustle" the phrase is slang for eavesdropping is a collaboration between Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams, both prisoners at San Quentin, and Nigel Poor, a Bay Area visual artist who teaches photography classes at the prison. "[9] The show's unique lens and intimate first-person storytelling is noted in most reviews. So to hear Governor Brown say that, it was like this is how we actually think. POOR: I know. When Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods met, Nigel was a photography professor volunteering with the Prison University Project and Earlonne was serving thirty-one years to life at California's San Quentin State Prison. Despite the lack of physical or forensic evidence, Caramad Conley was convicted of conspiracy to commit first degree murder, two counts of first degree murder, and eleven counts of attempted And they shot at Tyler, like, 40-something times. Like, what - why were we on this path, you know? Nigel Poor is a professor of photography at California State University in Sacramento. Woods learned of his commutation the day before Thanksgiving. They surrounded Tyler around a - at a apartment building, where he was trying to climb up to the roof. You know what I mean? So sometimes it's important, and I can give you an example. GROSS: So Tyler's father, your brother, is still in San Quentin during the final year that you were in San Quentin. It was other people telling, you know, their stories about being robbed or losing a child, losing a loved one. Her latest novel "The Friend" won the National Book Award for fiction and is about to be published in paperback. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. My first prison term, I went to jail when I was 17. [8][9] Poor is a visual artist in the San Francisco Bay area who volunteers at the prison. Woods helped create Ear Hustle while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. They struck him 19 times, killing him. Self's story opens the first episode of Ear Hustle, an engrossing new podcast out of San Quentin prison, a state facility in California. I took their security from them to even walk out the house and feel safe, you know? Jerry Brown commuted his 31-years-to-life . And then what worries me is, like, so people will leave with this very, like, I love this guy. Is he a good co-host? And I keep thinking, like, a week from now, Earlonne and I could be having dinner outside the prison together (laughter). And I mean, we just knew that was the call. [3] After two rounds of judging, Ear Hustle was selected as the winner and added to the Radiotopia network. I'm Terry Gross, and this is FRESH AIR. You're sitting across from politicians. [1][2] Since his release, Woods has continued to co-host the podcast with Poor from outside prison, with Poor recording some parts in San Quentin with new co-host Rahsaan "New York" Thomas. And he understood how to diffuse a situation. Mentally, it do, you know? And he used to come see me, you know, a lot. POOR: I walked him to the gate; you know, wished him good luck. GROSS: Wait; so that means, like, you'd rather die than be E WOODS: Yes, yes. In fact, when I walk through the yard, one of the things I really like is that people make eye contact. You know, he calls me. And you've had two separate stays, and the last one lasted 21 years. And so to me, that meant he was a very good observer. And he was always ready to help. In 2016, it was selected by the Radiotopia network as the winner of its Podquest competition, and the following year released its first season. [6] While in San Quentin, Woods was unpaid for his work on Ear Hustle, though fans would often send him money. So this is JERRY BROWN: It all goes to this point that something very bad happens, and people will say, OK, now we're putting you in jail for a very long time. So I think as far as African-American culture in prison, I don't think nobody really cares why you're in prison. And he said the thing that all women fear is that I raped women because I could. We're able to share food. You end thinking, like, here's this guy who's very self-actualized. At the time, your brother and your nephew's mother, Tyra, were living what you describe as a life of crime together. I got out, stayed out two years, 10 months and found myself back in jail for attempted second-degree robbery. I actually oddly enjoy being in there. And one of my goals has been for us to travel to other prisons, and I never wanted to do that without Earlonne. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). And so when people listen to this story, that's what I want them to take away, that here's this person who is in a difficult situation. And as they questioned the driver, the passenger officer seen tattoos and Tyler's face and started questioning him, made him get out the car. Can people change? [8] Galen Beebe's review for The Atlantic called it a "brilliant series" which "return[s] some of the humanity that the carceral system removes and provide[s] a link between inmates and outsiders. And it was very hard for that to not change the way I felt about him. Oh, daddy, I'm not playing with no guns. I don't think I have the vision to see it. They said that, hey, when you went to jail when you were 17 - yeah, it was one time, but there was two convictions in that case. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California Three Strikes Law, the statute under . POOR: Well, he wasn't necessarily a good talker because he was very quiet. And we just had such great conversations. And I'm always interested in people who kind of fade into the background a little bit because I suspect they could be the most interesting people in the room. GROSS: And you thanked him for doing it. Copyright 2018 NPR. I had to really work through it and think about it. That stuff carries 17 years. So I'm not thinking that it's serious as much as I'm hearing. E WOODS: So I'll give you example. But you look back, and you're looking at it like, I've wasted, like - I can say right now, I'm 47 years old. Williams, 29, has served more than 10 years on a 15-year sentence for armed robbery. GROSS: Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor are the co-creators, co-producers and co-hosts of the podcast Ear Hustle, which features interviews with men incarcerated in San Quentin. E WOODS: I think the mentality is more of crime to you is a job. Like, all of a sudden, you know POOR: We'll be like regular colleagues. Kourtney Kellar is an American model, social media celebrity, influencer, media face, and Internet personality. E WOODS: I, personally, would like to eradicate California's three strikes law because I think that there's a lot of people that's sentenced under this law, which everybody thinks is 25 to life. And I want to play what he said to you. You guys are killing me (laughter). Since the podcasts launch in 2017, its been downloaded, announcing the commutation, the governor echoed that thought, saying Woods has clearly shown that he is no longer the man he was when he committed this crime.. I find it invigorating. His sentence was commuted by Governor Jerry Brown in November. Earlonne Woods is co-creator, co-producer and co-host of Ear Hustle from Radiotopia. After you got out of San Quentin, you and Nigel went to the governor's mansion. He is a staff writer and podcast producer at KQED, as well as a graduate of UC Berkeley's School of Journalism. EARLONNE WOODS: Well, I just keep getting up every morning, you know, thankful that I have another day, thankful that I'm alive, you know? In November 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne's sentence after 21 years of . She inherits his dog, a 180-pound Great Dane, who, like her, is grieving.
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