Ear Hustle – "Catch A Kite: On Tour" (September 17, 2025)

Overview

In this special "Catch a Kite: On Tour" episode, hosts Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods take listeners inside their live tour across women's prisons in Ohio and Oklahoma. They answer audience-submitted questions—"kites," prison slang for notes—about prison life, drawing on candid conversations with incarcerated women. The episode explores food improvisation, coping with menopause, crying (or not) in prison, time, sensory deprivation, dignity, creativity, trauma, and hard-won freedom. With their signature blend of humor, empathy, and real talk, Ear Hustle brings unheard voices and deep reflection on what it means to survive, adapt, and even thrive behind bars.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. The "Catch a Kite" Format and Prison Visits (02:28–04:43)

• The hosts explain that during their live tour through the South and Midwest, they collected written questions ("kites") from audience members, then posed them to incarcerated women at three prisons:
  • Ohio Reformatory for Women (Columbus, OH)
  • Dr. Eddie Warrior Correctional Center (near Tulsa, OK)
  • Mabel Bassett Correctional Center (near Oklahoma City, OK)
• Mixed feelings over the lack of outside programming in women’s prisons compared to San Quentin; the unique excitement for their visit.

Quote:
"It might not look like much. It’s just a see-through plastic box. But inside, there are treasures."
— Nigel, on the "kite box" (02:50)

2. Prison Food Hacks & Innovations (04:43–06:51)

• Responding to Dan in Nashville: What's the most surprising off-menu food you've enjoyed in prison?
• Incarcerated women rattle off creative, sometimes odd, recipes made from commissary staples:
  • "Meat marshmallows" (microwaved bologna or hot dogs until they puff up)
  • Pizza wraps, improvised empanadas
  • Ramen noodles with coffee (!)
  • Cheesecake out of vanilla cookies and tortillas
  • Tater tots made from chips

Memorable Moment:
Hosts express simultaneous skepticism and curiosity about ramen with coffee, vowing to try and report back.

Quote:
"I've heard of everything that you can put in a noodle. I never heard anybody putting coffee in a top ramen noodle."
— Earlonne (05:53)

3. Menopause, Perimenopause & Coping with Aging Inside (07:05–10:24)

• Kelly from Durham, NC asks: How are menopause and perimenopause managed in prison; is hormone replacement therapy available?
• Candid discussions of hot flashes, heat, and lack of air conditioning.
• Michelle from Mabel Bassett Correctional shares about makeshift cool-down methods: "prison smoothies" made with ice, Kool-Aid, sugar, creamer, rolled over the shoulders before eating.
• Medications like hormone replacement are sometimes available; peer care for elders is important.

Quote:
"It's not even a flame. It's like a swamp meets an explosion. I can't even begin to tell you. It's horrible."
— Michelle, on hot flashes (07:32)

4. Crying (or Not) in Prison (10:38–12:11)

• Jamie from NYC asks: How do you cry in prison?
• Erica, Dusty, and Geneva (from various prisons) share that vulnerability—especially crying—can be unsafe, even in women’s prisons; typically, tears are shed in the shower or into a pillow facing the wall, if at all.

Memorable Perspective:
Erica says:
"Even at a women's prison, you can't. It's a sign of weakness, and people prey on that in this place." (10:51)

Dusty:
"Suck it up, buttercup. I would recommend going to the shower or something." (11:18)

Geneva on the loss of friends:
"You are happy that they are going and you celebrate. And then when they leave, you can cry, because you love them and you’re gonna miss them." (11:53)

5. Time: Distortion & Coping (12:11–16:56)

• Prisoners describe a conflicting sense of time: feeling like it's "on pause," wanting more/less/faster time, losing track of days.
• Rebecca (Eddie Warrior): Pre-prison punctuality fades; time becomes "more fluid" and less stressful.
• Brittany: Uses faith to reframe her relationship with time ("ketchup like two tomatoes" with Jesus); explores astrological and spiritual connections to passing days.

Notable Quotes:
"Sometimes I feel like maybe I'm in, like, a purgatory. Like, life just feels distorted, I guess. Like it’s on pause."
— Michelle, Ohio (13:32)

“...Time has become more fluid. So I'm still accomplishing everything that I need to and still finding that I have more time now that I'm not worried about time.”
— Rebecca (14:42)

6. Sensory Deprivation: What Textures Do You Miss? (20:56–23:18)

• Mitchell from Springfield, MO asks: What textures do you miss in prison?
• Women mention the feel of soft pillows, velvet, sand, a warm bath, soap, skin—especially "the skin of someone you love" (Geneva, 21:51).
• Dusty recalls soft carpet after Afghanistan, comparing "lockdown" conditions in military and prison.

Quote:
"What textures do you miss being in prison? I never could imagine that I would say this, but I would have to say skin, especially the skin of someone you love."
— Geneva (21:51)

7. Comparing Prison and Military Life (23:18–25:17)

• Dusty and Earlonne reflect on similarities between the regimentation, restrictions, and trauma of both settings.
• Earlonne concludes his friend experienced "more trauma and disturbing things" in the military than he did in 27 years of prison—touches on reconnection after decades apart.

Quote:
"Like, you have a commanding officer there, you have a correctional officer here. You know, you can go to the hole in either the military or prison, all kind of stuff."
— Earlonne (24:04)

8. Dignity (25:46–29:10)

• Miranda from Dayton, OH asks: Do you feel a sense of dignity every day?
• Jamie (hair stylist): Feels dignity in skill and being needed by others. Felicia is uncertain, pondering what dignity means.
• Michelle: Being addressed respectfully ("Ms. King" or "ma'am") restores some humanity; staff sometimes use demeaning language ("heifers," "going through the cattle chute").
• Nigel reflects on the pain and humiliation still present in institutional language.

Quote:
"Yes, I might have inmate attached to my name... but I'm still a person."
— Michelle, Oklahoma (27:22)

9. Unexpected Gains: Creativity & Freedom Inside (29:10–34:41)

• Brad from Ohio asks: Have you gained anything in prison you couldn’t have received on the outside?
• Vanessa: Discovered unexpected creativity due to boredom and lack of reference images.
• Michelle enjoys inventing games (prison bowling; bingo with scraps).
• Christine: Found a core group who help her cope with losing her eyesight.
• Erica: Found "freedom" from addiction and a sense of self she never had outside.

Quote:
"What is something you've gained from prison that you never received outside of prison? Freedom."
— Erica, Ohio (32:19)

"Incarceration kind of built me. I started drinking when I was nine, doing heavier drugs by 12... I didn’t see myself. I was a shadow. I didn’t exist on drugs... every day I’m growing towards the best version of myself. The shadow’s always there... shadows always stay."
— Erica, Ohio (32:49–34:41)

10. Parenting from Inside (34:41–35:22)

• Erica tells of singing Happy Birthday to her son in the visiting hall, embarrassing him in a loving way; a slice of parenting and emotional connection within the rigid structures of prison.

11. Reflections & Looking Ahead (35:32–36:38)

• The hosts reflect on how moving and immediate this on-the-road “Catch a Kite” process was for both the incarcerated women and outside listeners.
• They hint at their intent to repeat the process at more prisons in the future.

Quote:
"It felt like a service to our listeners and it also felt like a service to the women that we spoke to because it was so immediate and personal."
— Nigel (36:03)

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "It’s not even a flame. It’s like a swamp meets an explosion." — Michelle on menopause (07:32)
• “You don't. You don't be vulnerable in prison. That's not really a thing.” — Erica on crying (10:51)
• “I feel like there’s not enough time. There’s too much time. Like, I want it back, but also I can’t wait to get to 40.” — Michelle (13:32)
• “What textures do you miss? Skin, especially the skin of someone you love.” — Geneva (21:51)
• “What is something you’ve gained from prison...? Freedom.” — Erica (32:19)
• “I didn’t see myself. I was a shadow. I didn’t exist on drugs... every day I’m growing towards the best version of myself. The shadow’s always there.” — Erica (34:41)

Episode Structure (With Timestamps)

• [02:28] – Introduction to the "Catch a Kite" format and tour
• [04:43] – Creative food innovations in prison
• [07:05] – Managing menopause/perimenopause and peer support
• [10:38] – Crying and emotional coping strategies
• [12:11] – Prisoners discuss how their sense of time changes
• [20:56] – Sensory deprivation: Textures missed in prison life
• [23:18] – Comparisons between prison and military life
• [25:46] – Daily dignity and respect (or lack thereof)
• [29:10] – Unexpected personal gains, including creativity and spiritual freedom
• [34:41] – Parenting moments from inside
• [35:32] – Reflections on the process, community, and future plans

Tone & Style

The episode remains true to Ear Hustle’s signature blend—raw, introspective, funny, and deeply humane—making often-overlooked aspects of incarceration vivid, relatable, and real. The hosts let participants' voices shine, offering empathy and humor while tackling issues with sensitivity and respect.

Summary prepared for listeners who want a detailed overview, key moments, and standout quotes from "Catch a Kite: On Tour" (Ear Hustle, September 17, 2025).