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- [00:02]
A
Hey, it's Nigel here and Earlonne. As you hopefully have heard by now, we are halfway through our fall fundraiser for Radiotopia, our network of independent podcasts.
- [00:12]
B
One thing we love about the Radiotopia fundraiser is finding out why you're supporting us. It means so much to hear from you.
- [00:18]
A
Like this comment from a listener named Too 99% Invisible brought me to Radiotopia a decade ago, but I stayed for Song Exploder Normal Gossip Articles of Interest Ear Hustle and the Heart. Thank you for supporting supporting so many incredible creators. Your shows have genuinely changed my life, expanded my knowledge and understanding of the world, and made me a better person. Thank you two. That's so nice.
- [00:43]
B
Or this one from Jared. What got me to donate was the idea of donating to many of my favorite podcasts and that I might be contributing to a show that doesn't even exist yet. That might become one of my favorites. That's what's up.
- [00:58]
A
That's a cool way to think, really. Donating to Radiotopia not only supports Ear Hustle like Jared says, it also is a way to support what could be. It's a vote of confidence in our business model and a celebration of this collective of independent creators.
- [01:15]
B
Right now, while we recording this, we are at just 431 donors, which is 29% of our goal of 1,500 donors before December 31st. If ear hustle has meant something to you this year, please make your tax deeds deductible donation today at Radiotopia fm. Donate.
- [01:36]
A
Your donation gets distributed among all the creators in the Radiotopia network, and every gift will help us get closer to our goal. That's Radiotopia fm. Donate. Thanks so much.
- [01:51]
C
There's so much running around to do during the holidays, but that doesn't mean you can't look and feel amazing every day. If you're searching for affordable, luxurious comfort this season, you can. You can turn to Macy's Cashmere. Their pieces are designed to last, so it only feels like a splurge to stock up. Macy's Cashmere pieces are designed to be wardrobe staples, not just for special occasions. They have 70 silhouettes in over 40 colors, from warm to cool to neutral tones. Don't forget, Macy's Friends and Family event is also going on now from December 2nd to the 11th. So if you're in gifting mode, take advantage of 30% off the best brands that make the best gifts, plus 15% off beauty and fragrances. There's also fine jewelry from Effie La, Vin Badgley, Mischka and more at 30 to 50% off so you can elevate your cashmere look with some sparkle. Shop in store or online@macy's.com this show is supported by Odoo. When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out odoO-O-O.com that's O D O O.com.
- [03:14]
D
Hi, my name is Kaysha. I'm a multi talented artist from Southside Jamaica, Queens and this is my episode this episode of Air Hustle contains language and content that may not be appropriate for all listeners, including reference to suicidal thoughts. Discretionary is advised. I'm thinking I'm looking at y'. All. I just don't have trust for people. So I just want to know like what y' all about. I don't want you to know who I am. I don't want you to know anything about me just yet because I don't know who I have to be for you just yet. When you're quiet, you get to just listen and take everything in and see who do I have to be to protect myself in this moment? Can I be myself? Do I have to be quieter? Do I have to be louder? Do I have to be like anything?
- [04:08]
A
Like that? But then who is the real you?
- [04:13]
D
The real me? She's goofy. She's honestly just goofy. Always laughing, always helping. I'm a real positive person. Just a lot happened. I'm a very nice person. I just never had nobody be nice to me.
- [04:33]
A
Today on the Loop, we are spending the whole episode with one person. Kasia.
- [04:38]
B
Yeah, we got to know her really well over the year or so we spent going back and forth to New.
- [04:43]
A
York, and Keisha's description of herself is apt. I mean, she's got these two sides to herself. On the one hand, she's a little bit guarded and shy, but she's also positive goofy.
- [04:55]
B
And her life also has these two sides to it. Sometimes she's doing well, staying out of trouble. Other times she gets pulled back into a life that she really wants to leave behind.
- [05:08]
A
I'm Nigel Poor.
- [05:09]
B
I'm Earlonne woods. And this is the loop from ear hustle and PRX's Radiotopia episode five.
- [05:16]
A
Yes, and.
- [05:24]
B
A door A locked door that I can't open. That's the first thing I always see.
- [05:29]
D
I call it Baby Jill. I'm like, this is Baby Jill.
- [05:31]
E
Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen.
- [05:35]
D
I can't say that my plan is just to keep robbing, but it's like, that's all I know.
- [05:40]
B
I'm a product of my environment, you know, we're on a constant loop. This loop never ends. I don't think it's going to end with improv.
- [05:48]
D
You could do anything, and there's like, nobody could laugh at you. There's no right or wrong answer. Like, I could be a cowgirl if I want to. Like, you know, nobody's going to look at me weird.
- [06:04]
B
Tell us about this hoodie you got on.
- [06:06]
D
I don't know. I love graphic hoodies. Especially hoodies that, like, represent me. So it's like.
- [06:11]
C
But, okay.
- [06:11]
A
Was it you at some point?
- [06:12]
D
It was.
- [06:14]
A
She's wearing a hoodie that has a face of a woman with a pink mask on. Some kind of firearm on the forehead.
- [06:22]
B
You're not going to say a Uzi?
- [06:25]
A
I needed you to identify it for me. I knew some kind of firearm.
- [06:29]
B
It has a woman gun.
- [06:30]
A
A woman gun? Uzi's a woman gun.
- [06:32]
B
Oh, the one in her hand.
- [06:33]
A
Oh, my goodness. I thought that was a tree.
- [06:37]
B
A tree? Really?
- [06:39]
A
Hey, I'm no expert. Anyway, we decided to call this series the Loop, based on something you observed, Earlonne. About how the kids we'd been meeting at Crossroads Juvenile Detention center in Brooklyn reminded you of yourself and your friends back when, you know, basically you were their age.
- [06:57]
B
Yes, yes, they definitely remind me of all the ruckus we used to keep kicking up, you know what I'm saying? So from the fights to the riots to the, you know, looking at all the girls through windows. Yeah, I definitely see myself in a lot of those kids.
- [07:13]
A
And with you, just like these kids, there was kind of a cycle. Right? You know, first you're in jail, then you're out, then you're back in again.
- [07:21]
B
Right. I mean, you might want to stay out of trouble, but there's all these circumstances that pulls you back in. Whether it's financial, you know, your family has needs, or you're just out hanging out with kids who are getting in trouble and you get pulled back into it. You know, that's the loop that a lot of these kids are on, and it's hard to kind of get out of it.
- [07:40]
A
In this series so far, we've been mostly meeting with kids who are already locked up at Crossroads Detention Center. But we wanted to see the whole loop, or as much of it as we could. And the way to do that was really to focus on just one kid.
- [07:56]
B
And Kasia agreed to be that kid.
- [08:00]
A
The first time we met Kasia was in March 2024 at the door in Manhattan.
- [08:06]
B
And the Door is a community center for kids who are facing challenges like homelessness, incarceration, the foster system. It's a place for them to hang out, get some grub, take some classes, you know, feel at home.
- [08:18]
A
So that also made it a good place for us to sit down and.
- [08:21]
B
Get to know Kasia, starting with asking her to tell us a little bit more about that sweatshirt she was wearing that day with the picture of the girl and her girl gun, a Uzi girl gun.
- [08:35]
A
So Keisha said, does that represent you now? And she said, it used to. So, you know, we're gonna have to ask you, how did that used to represent you?
- [08:43]
D
I was definitely the neighborhood. I grew up in south side, Jamaica, Queens. The gang population is very high, and I was definitely a part of. I was one of the females in that group, and I definitely was one of the girls who was pretty and stuff like that. But it definitely would carry around a gun, mask. How old are you right now? I'm about to be 20, Ma.
- [09:02]
A
Okay, so how old were you when you were, like, this person?
- [09:06]
D
Say, like, middle school. So like, 12 to, like, 17.
- [09:10]
A
Okay, so when you were in middle school, you carried a mask and a gun? Is that what you said?
- [09:15]
D
Middle school was mostly, like, just drugs, getting the weed and stuff into the school, stuff like that.
- [09:21]
B
In doing that, was it just to hang with the. Your homies in the hood? Was it to make money? Was it was to make money? Just to make money, make money.
- [09:30]
D
I hated being home. So it was, like, being with them, I felt like it was a support system for real. I had somebody to talk to. I always had a place to go. They always had a house for us to go. If, like, something happened at home, something like that. I just never was alone. My mother, she was never around. Like, she done did so much drugs. She done been through so much. She didn't deserve what she went through. And because of what she went through, I had to go through my father. My father was locked up. My whole, like, just a black man in America. Like, that's really how I look at it. He's just a black man in America. He was. It was gonna come up at some point. Just the environment we in. I have five other siblings. I don't know what My mother do, but she really pops out kids every. Like, she gives herself a year break, and she pop out another one. Like, I have a baby.
- [10:20]
A
Baby.
- [10:20]
D
Baby sister, like. And then my mother had another one named Journey, and then a boy named Thomas and then another girl. I forgot her name. I'm not gonna. It's too much kids when she has these kids back to back. So when I became legal, next of kin is me. So I'm now getting the call like, you have a child? And it's like people are calling me, acting for the stuff for them, and it's like, I don't have it. And how do I say I don't have it? Like, I don't know. I don't know how to say that. I don't know how to tell those kids.
- [10:53]
A
No. Kaysha and all of her siblings were placed in foster care very early on. Kaysha has been in foster care since she was six months old.
- [11:04]
B
Her foster home offered her a place to live and some stability. I mean, for a while, Kaysha was in college and running track, but. But she got injured, and then she got depressed. She needed money, so she dropped out and got pulled back in the hood.
- [11:20]
D
Shit.
- [11:21]
A
Keisha told us that she was arrested and spent some time at Crossroads. Other times, she told us she almost got arrested, but was able to check herself into a psychiatric hospital instead. So were you, like, a violent person? Were you scary? Were you angry?
- [11:39]
D
Um. Anything anybody said to me, I'm going off. Like, I take everything to heart. Well, yeah, I did.
- [11:46]
B
So what. What changed that, like, what. What was the light switch? That was like, you know what? That's the wrong path.
- [11:51]
D
My little sister was born.
- [11:53]
B
There's one sister Kaysha's really close to. Her name is Eldora.
- [11:58]
D
I couldn't let that baby go through what I went through. So I tried to, like, step up and do more.
- [12:03]
A
And is that sister in your life?
- [12:05]
D
Yeah, that's my number one. She got it tatted on me. That's my number one. Like Eldora. I don't know why she was named that.
- [12:11]
B
What do you call her?
- [12:12]
D
Cl. Eldora.
- [12:13]
B
Do you? Yeah. Oh, she don't have a nickname.
- [12:14]
D
Ellie. But she always in trouble. She's just like me.
- [12:17]
B
She rapping?
- [12:18]
D
Yeah.
- [12:19]
B
She got bars.
- [12:20]
D
My name Ellie B. I be getting to the bag. 1, 2, 3. Don't play with me. Cause I got an army. You heard what I said? Call up KB that's my big sister. That's a different story.
- [12:32]
A
My impression of Keisha is that she has a chaotic life, but There's a core of responsibility to her of a caretaking quality. She really wants stability.
- [12:43]
B
And, you know, there was some people trying to give her that stability, specifically the drama club. She had a part time job with them, and they were some consistent adults in her life.
- [12:53]
A
A couple months later, in May, we were back in New York City at the door, hanging out with Drama Club's founder, Josie and waiting for Keisha to show up. We're in a recording room and waiting for Keisha to arrive, and Josie just told us that Kayshia's having a hard moment. I don't know how to say it. Some problems with housing. She lost her car. She had no running water in her house, so she wasn't able to shower. And she's very put together young woman, and I'm sure for her that's a difficulty.
- [13:27]
B
But Kaysha made it in that day.
- [13:30]
D
That was the problem today, actually. I was like, I can't shower right now. Like, the water's off. Like, I don't know what to do.
- [13:35]
A
I mean, I know talking about how someone looks is not that helpful, but you look. You look so beautiful and put together.
- [13:41]
D
I actually was climbing over here. I was like, bro, why do I look like, I don't ever show out like this? Like, I don't ever come outside.
- [13:47]
A
So what made you come today?
- [13:51]
D
Y' all are here. And it was like, Josie. Josie was like, we'd rather have an unshowered than Nocasia at all. And hearing that, it was like, they really do care. I don't like letting Drama Club because, as you can see, they help me whenever something happens. They're always there. If they know a situation is happening, they'll offer you extra hours so you know, like, you're not failing or whatever. They help you mentally, physically, emotionally. Like, they're always there for you. They're gonna make sure you good. And today they made sure I got here and I was good.
- [14:18]
A
So let's just say our name. And if you were a room in.
- [14:23]
D
A house, which room would you be and why? I would be two places. So I would be a bathroom because, like, everything is shitting on me right now. Wow. And then I would be a closet because I'm just, like, really, like, closed off right now. I just want to be, like, alone.
- [14:43]
A
After the check ins, the drama club class started up with an improv game. Will you step up and do a scene with Josie? Okay.
- [14:51]
D
Hi.
- [14:52]
F
Okay, you guys are are mechanics. You're both mechanics.
- [14:56]
C
All right.
- [14:57]
A
Three, two, one, action.
- [15:00]
F
Are you okay?
- [15:01]
D
Under There. Yeah.
- [15:03]
A
Good.
- [15:03]
D
Is there something I should know about? Why wouldn't I?
- [15:05]
F
Is something going on?
- [15:06]
D
I just see something leaking. I just wanted to make sure. Oh, really? Yeah. It's not coming on.
- [15:11]
B
You.
- [15:11]
D
You don't smell it?
- [15:13]
C
Ah.
- [15:15]
D
Give me the. I did.
- [15:16]
A
Swing it out.
- [15:16]
F
Give me the. Give me the thing.
- [15:17]
D
Give me the thing. Switch it out, Andy. Oh, my God. So what I would love to hear.
- [15:27]
A
Is how you were feeling when you.
- [15:28]
D
Came in, on what scale, and how.
- [15:30]
A
Maybe you're feeling now.
- [15:32]
B
That's Abby, one of the drama club teachers, asking everyone to rate how they're feeling. Kaysha went first.
- [15:39]
D
I came in here at like a six, but now, I'm not gonna lie, I'm not, like, I'm gonna say a 10 for how I've been feeling recently. It would be how I'm feeling right now is a 10 how I'm feeling right now. It feels good to be around.
- [15:55]
B
After the class, the three of us went into one of the offices at the door to sit down and talk to Kaysha about what had been going on with her lately.
- [16:03]
A
It sounded like since we had last seen her, Kayshia's housing situation had become much less stable, and it was affecting everything else in her life.
- [16:12]
B
Until recently, she'd been living in that same foster home she'd been in since she was a baby. In New York, kids age out of the foster care system when they turn 21. But even before that happened, Kaysha says she was asked to leave.
- [16:24]
A
Kaysha was in danger of becoming homeless. So she turned to some of those guys she knew from her neighborhood, and they took her in.
- [16:32]
D
See, I'm back into that life now, which I didn't. I just said I fought so hard to get out of it. I literally just said I pulled so hard to get out of it. But like, so basically, like, there's a house, but basically that's where the members are or whatever. That's where all the members are. And I'm just there, you know, living, trying to get by with them, you know, squad. Everything's free. But, like, you still gotta earn your. You gotta earn your place there. So you gotta do something to earn your place there.
- [16:53]
A
So are you with people that you know?
- [16:56]
D
Yeah, not people I want to necessarily be around. They not really helping me go to where I want to be. They bringing me back. Honestly, I feel like I'm end up in. Back in Crossroads or somewhere regardless, so it really doesn't matter.
- [17:08]
A
Can you describe the situation?
- [17:10]
D
Like, what's the place like? It's a Building it's full of gangbangers. I'm not gonna. It's. It's pretty toxic. I'm the only female. I'm, like, usual, always the only female. So them conditions, it gets weird a lot. But on the positive note, I got people that look out for me. Like, I could come. I could bring one of them with me to class now, you know, try to help them out, you know, Like, I'm still gonna try to be positive or whatever, but it's like, it still hurts. Cause it's like I went from being like, I fought to get somewhere good, and then just comes back.
- [17:45]
A
How long have you been staying at this place?
- [17:47]
D
I got there two weeks ago.
- [17:50]
B
Kaysha was trying to figure out how to get out of the squat and also how to help out her sister, Eldora.
- [17:57]
D
I can't keep living on the street, like I gotta do. I'm sorry. I wanna remain, like, innocent and stuff like that. But it's hard. Like, it's really hard. It's not only me depending on me. Like, I do have her depending on me, and I'd rather get in trouble for it. But by the time y' all catch me for it, she's set. I don't want her to ever have to do what I had to do. Like, no. So I had to get it. I'm not proud of how I got it, but I had to get it. And then after I got it, it was like, it felt good to have it. So it was like, I need to have it more and more and more and more and more. And it was like, why not go all the way back into it? I'd rather her have to talk to me through a phone than her being out there doing the same thing I'm doing. What's losing two of us. That's the one thing about doing what we do. You get money easily.
- [18:40]
A
Easily.
- [18:42]
D
It's a risk to it. But you get that money once that money in your hand, you're not thinking about no risk. You're not thinking about no getting caught, no trouble, no police, no nothing like that. I have a question for you. Like, now that you're out, how long have you been out?
- [18:59]
B
I've been out five years. No going on six.
- [19:02]
D
What made you decide to change your life? Decide to?
- [19:08]
B
My homie got killed by the police when we got arrested. And I think that kind of stopped me in my tracks because I was just looking at it like, we lived our life like this for what. What was the end goal? Was this the end goal? His death over some bullshit. Yeah, he gone for nothing. Like, literally.
- [19:24]
D
Yeah.
- [19:25]
B
And I think that was, like, the change in my life. It was like a light switch just flipped. Like, fuck, I'm doing this to myself. Ain't nobody doing this to me.
- [19:33]
D
That's real.
- [19:34]
B
So it was just growing up. That's it. So yesterday we went to the door and we talked to Kesha. Just hearing her story, seeing where she was at, it was hard. And just to listen to her, like, you know, I don't have running water right now. We squatting in the building, and it's about 10 other individuals, and I'm the only female in there, and it's just somewhere to stay. And, you know, I kind of. I kind of felt her, you know, when was nobody looking. I passed her a few dollars, you know, it was just, you know, me being me, you know? But it do strike a chord. It do hurt to see them in that position. You know, this is shit like that, that, you know, that tug at the strings of your heart straight up. No doubt. I mean, I'm human, you know, I got feelings. I feel that shit. But, yeah, that's my check in.
- [20:47]
D
Okay, well, then don't bring me nothing too far, because I'm in podcast right now. I love you too. Bye. Okay.
- [20:56]
B
Hey, y'.
- [20:56]
D
All.
- [20:58]
A
We did. I love you too. I love you too. Right now.
- [21:02]
C
Just.
- [21:02]
A
I love you. Is she blushing?
- [21:04]
D
Hey, yo. Was this all right?
- [21:06]
A
We clearly have a lot to catch up on.
- [21:08]
B
The next time we saw Acacia was in June, and her vibe has shifted.
- [21:13]
A
First of all, you look different.
- [21:14]
D
How I look different?
- [21:15]
B
She's smiling.
- [21:16]
A
Well, she was always smiling, but it's.
- [21:19]
D
Like a real smile. Like, I actually mean this model.
- [21:20]
C
Okay.
- [21:21]
D
But, yeah, I. I guess you could say I'm glowing. I feel like I'm glowing. Like, I just feel very good.
- [21:26]
A
Kaysha told us that after staying in that squat for three months, she finally moved out.
- [21:31]
B
It was actually her connection with Drama Club that made it possible. Another member of Drama Club hooked her up with somewhere stable to live that.
- [21:38]
A
She could afford, which Kaysha said came just in time.
- [21:43]
D
It happened as soon as I thought I had to go back to my old life. And it's like, it showed me that, like, nah, you don't gotta do that. We got you feel me?
- [21:50]
A
So you got the place. And was that the thing that really flipped? Everything was getting that.
- [21:55]
D
I was like, I'm in my own space now.
- [21:57]
A
Yeah. I mean, when we say last time, I would say, you're always smiling. You always say, I can see the Inner you. But you do look especially glowy.
- [22:04]
D
Thank you.
- [22:05]
B
Yeah, she could sing that song. Started from the bottom. Now I'm here.
- [22:11]
D
Now we're Ferroto.
- [22:14]
B
Kaisha's goal is to make a living as a rapper and a model.
- [22:17]
D
So I'm dropping a song. It goes into what I do, like the type of. Like the type of life I lived or whatever, but then like who I am now. So it's like finna run down and I'm looking for the opps if I catch one lack and I'm letting no shots Baddest little bitch and I stay on my block and these holes on my dick they be sucking Mac hoes hop on the net and go Chatting won't put an act cause they know I'm a blast don't pull up on me and you know I be trapping yeah, I'm just a girl, but no, I ain't lacking. You mad cause I'm lit or you mad cause I'm rich? Either way it go, you a mad little took your and we out on a trip, you know after kb you ain't nothing to miss It's a little bro code who's trying to fit in I with no bumps, you don't be on no hoes sharing everything from close to dick Couldn't be me if you pulled your best friend I'm a pretty rap I don't play with no kids if you ain't one of mine know that you could get hit quick to cut you off get the on my cribbit don't ask for no fun I'm not your pimp smacking with my backhand don't come outside, catch you lacking give a about your last Cause she ain't numb but past tense she should have did better when she had him because now he with me and he looking real happy. And when it's that time he be having whoa. And when it's that time, he'd be having it Clapping, not going in after that.
- [23:08]
B
After that is tea smacking bitches with my backhand.
- [23:12]
A
I know. And sucking cock. I mean, what the hell? Sorry.
- [23:18]
B
But, hey, that's rap these days.
- [23:19]
A
Well, I guess it is. And I can definitely see why I don't listen to it. This music's not for me. I get it. And I'm really happy that Keisha has these creative impulses, but it's also earlonne. I mean, I know it. It is so hard to make it as an artist. And so it worries me when that's someone's game plan, because it is a huge long shot.
- [23:39]
B
Yeah. I mean, shit, until you make it big, it's really not enough to live on. No.
- [23:45]
A
In the meantime, Keisha had been spending more time with Drama Club, and she was chosen. Actually, this is really neat. She and another kid from Drama Club were chosen to interview us. Earlonne, you and I on stage for a gala that the Drama Club was doing. So what about the gala tomorrow? What should we expect?
- [24:03]
D
Me to look good? Well, of course, that's a given me to look good. But I can't wait for y' all interview.
- [24:10]
A
Ooh, I know. We're very excited about it.
- [24:12]
D
Got my index cards.
- [24:13]
B
Ooh. You ready?
- [24:14]
A
Prepared. Okay. Prepared.
- [24:18]
B
After the event aired on pbs, we got our hands on a video. It's Kaysha and another kid from drummer club named Mel.
- [24:25]
D
I'm so excited to see you all here. Let's get started.
- [24:28]
B
Yes. Yes.
- [24:29]
A
Great to be here.
- [24:30]
D
Nice to have you guys with us today. So how did you and Earlonne meet?
- [24:33]
B
Well, one day she was floating across the yard.
- [24:36]
A
Shot.
- [24:37]
B
My shot. No, no, we met. Cause like I said, she was a volunteer and I was serving the life sentence.
- [24:44]
A
Earlonne, this is such a sweet memory.
- [24:46]
F
Do you remember?
- [24:47]
A
Keisha showed up. She looked beautiful.
- [24:49]
B
She was doing her shit.
- [24:50]
A
Great outfit on. She looked so professional sitting on stage like a newscaster with her index cards.
- [24:55]
B
I seen her outside. She was out there studying them the whole night.
- [24:57]
A
It was beautiful.
- [24:58]
D
Well, thank you guys so much for sitting down with us. We are very appreciative.
- [25:02]
B
Thank you. We definitely appreciate.
- [25:08]
A
So we left thinking, this is great. Keisha is just doing so well.
- [25:13]
B
But the next time we came to New York City, our calls went straight to voicemail.
- [25:17]
A
Hey, y', all, it's your girl Kasia. Sorry I missed your call. That's after the break. We've got some news that I have to say. Earlonne, I have been dying to share.
- [25:46]
B
Hell, yeah. It's our 2026 West coast tour.
- [25:52]
A
Yes. And it feels like a lifetime ago, but it was just last August that we drove over 4,000 miles through the south and Midwest, performing our live show in 10 theaters and three prisons. And it was so much fun that we knew we had to bring it to our home coast.
- [26:08]
B
Yep, west coast is the best coast. So early next year, we're hitting the road again. This time, we'll be taking the show to Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles.
- [26:19]
A
Your hometown.
- [26:19]
B
Yes, yes. San Francisco. And hopefully one more surprise location.
- [26:24]
A
Not hopefully. That's going to happen, Andy. And. And for every outside show we do, we're planning to do one at a local prison. So that's five shows in prison and five shows outside prison and Earlonne. Come on. We cannot wait for this.
- [26:39]
B
Indeed. Tickets for the Portland, Seattle and LA show go on sale at noon Pacific time on November 5th at earhustlesq.com tour. Tickets for the San Francisco show will be announced very soon.
- [26:55]
A
Get all the details@earhustlesq.com tour we cannot wait to see you on the road.
- [27:09]
B
You know Nyge, during the holidays it's hard to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet.
- [27:14]
A
Oh, for sure, with all those treats and holiday parties. But luckily there's AG1.
- [27:19]
B
AG1 is the daily health drink that combines multivitamins, pre and probiotics, superfoods and antioxidants into one scoop.
- [27:28]
A
AG1 contains vitamins and minerals and is clinically shown to fill common nutrient gaps. I'm especially grateful for the immune support I get from it.
- [27:36]
B
I drink mine early in the morning before I hit the gym. Currently I'm drinking the citrus flavor and it's tasty.
- [27:42]
A
I'm doing tropical and I have it with some ice in the morning before my coffee and it's really just become part of my routine. It's how I start my day every day.
- [27:51]
B
Earl on Cool AG1 has their best offer ever. Head to drinkag1.com earhustle to get a free welcome kit, a morning person hat, vitamin D3K2, an AG1 flavor sampler, and you'll get to try their new sleep supplement AGZ for free. That's $126 in free gifts for new subscribers at drinkag1.com earhustle. So Nigel, we got ourselves some nice gifts from Cozy Earth.
- [28:26]
A
That we did. And I cannot stop talking about Cozy Earth's bubble cuddle blanket Earlonne. It is embarrassed to say this. It's so great to just like sit on the couch wrapped up with my grandson watching a movie hanging out. It's so cozy.
- [28:42]
B
I know it is.
- [28:42]
D
Oh man.
- [28:43]
A
And you also got some pajamas.
- [28:45]
B
I haven't wore them yet.
- [28:46]
A
Why? Because they're too nice?
- [28:48]
B
No, I'm a wear them during the holidays.
- [28:51]
A
Okay, well, I can tell you I have been wearing mine. So between the bamboo pajamas and that cuddle blanket, I basically don't want to come to work anymore.
- [29:01]
B
What?
- [29:02]
A
You know, for me that's a big deal.
- [29:04]
B
That's saying something. Hold on. We might have to send this Cozy Earth stuff back. Give the gift of everyday luxury and make every moment comfortable. Head to cozyearth.com and use code ear hustle for up to 20% off. And if you get a Post purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here.
- [29:22]
A
Give the gift of comfort that lasts beyond the holidays and carries into a cozy new year.
- [29:28]
B
I'll be cozy in my new Year in my pajamas, and I might not come to work. Where we left off. You and I were in New York City, and our calls to Kaysha were going straight to voicemail.
- [29:55]
A
Just leave your name and I'll call.
- [29:57]
D
You back as soon as possible.
- [29:58]
A
Thank you. Oh, yeah, and if you're my friend or my family, just text me. You know, I may be on the phone. Love y'.
- [30:04]
D
All.
- [30:09]
A
Hey, Keisha, it's Nigel and Earlonne. We're trying to reach you. We're in New York. It's August 14th, and if there's any way we can catch up with you, give us a call. You have our number. You know we'd love to touch base. We miss seeing you on this trip and want to know what you're up to. Take care. Pull up, Keisha. Pull up.
- [30:34]
B
It's my birthday celebration. Where you at?
- [30:39]
A
When we couldn't get hold of Keisha, we checked in with Drama Club, and they told us she had stopped coming to class.
- [30:46]
B
And when we looked at her Instagram, she had deleted everything. All those videos of her rapping and posing, it was all gone. So we went back to the west coast without ever seeing or talking to Kaysha. It would be several months before we'd find out what had happened.
- [31:03]
A
Just before our next trip to New York, we texted her again. This time she wrote back right away.
- [31:09]
B
We asked her if we could meet up in her old neighborhood, South Jamaica, Queens. When the day arrived, we got ourselves to the intersection she told us to go to and waited.
- [31:22]
A
So we're standing at what seems like a very random street corner waiting for.
- [31:27]
B
Keisha to show up, and she's running a little bit late. So we're sitting out here just looking at. Well, she say, I'm on the train 13 stops away. I should be there before 3.
- [31:40]
A
You should be here before 3. We've been waiting almost an hour at this point, and I kind of wondered if she was going to be a.
- [31:49]
B
No show, but we didn't want to risk missing her again.
- [31:52]
A
No.
- [31:54]
B
Well, it then got a little windy on us. We waited out here for 30 hours for Kaysha. We took a nap. We woke up.
- [32:00]
A
We woke up and it was winter.
- [32:01]
B
Wiped our teeth off with our fingers.
- [32:04]
A
Is really. That's the trick.
- [32:06]
B
Yeah, that's what they say? Eventually, Kaysha called us again to say she was walking up the street towards us.
- [32:12]
A
We're, like, on the side, closer to 115. We're real obvious.
- [32:17]
D
You wearing jeans. There you are.
- [32:19]
B
Blue hair. We right in front of you. Just right in front of you.
- [32:23]
A
Oh, I see you.
- [32:23]
D
Okay, I'm playing.
- [32:25]
B
Hello, hello, hello.
- [32:26]
A
Hi. Hello, Hello.
- [32:28]
D
Uh.
- [32:28]
A
Oh, good to see you.
- [32:29]
B
She got the huggy. How you doing?
- [32:32]
D
Hey, y'.
- [32:33]
A
All. How y' all been?
- [32:34]
B
We chilling. We maintaining. Is that y' all smelling like marijuana?
- [32:37]
D
Hell, yeah.
- [32:38]
B
Okay, just checking. Just. Just checking. Nigel smoked, too.
- [32:42]
D
That was a long train ride, but it's okay because we're here.
- [32:47]
B
All right, so, Nigel, who are we talking to today?
- [32:50]
A
Well, this is our friend Keisha. Hi. Hello. Who we've. I don't know how many times we've hung out, but quite a few. And every time we come here, we want to catch up, and there's always something different. So the first thing I noticed is the hair.
- [33:02]
B
She got the. She got the nipsey blue hair going.
- [33:05]
A
Yeah. The beautiful hair. Two tone, at least. Yeah.
- [33:09]
D
I'm trying to go for, like, three purple with a light blue. With a dark blue.
- [33:12]
B
And it's the first time we've seen her in a minute because she shook us last time.
- [33:15]
D
I did not.
- [33:16]
A
I don't think she shook us. I think stuff was going on.
- [33:19]
D
Yeah, stuff is going on.
- [33:20]
A
Yeah.
- [33:20]
B
Okay. You didn't shake us.
- [33:22]
D
Life is hard, man.
- [33:23]
A
Yeah, but we were worried. We were definitely worried.
- [33:26]
D
Yeah. I'm okay, though.
- [33:28]
A
We didn't want to badger her with questions about what had happened, so we thought we'd sort of ease into that later. First, we want Acacia to show us around her old neighborhood. For someone who's not from here, how would you describe this neighborhood?
- [33:41]
D
I would describe it as. I don't want to say peaceful, but it can be peaceful. Like right now, it's peaceful. Right now. Everybody's just chilling during the day. It's the best time to come. At nighttime is when you'll start to hear a whole lot more of that. But they definitely come around. And if you hear one, you're definitely going to hear another. I can promise you that once you hear that, you know, you just want to go the opposite direction. Don't be nosy. Don't try to gain the attention. You don't want it. But there's a lot of great stuff happening, and people are paying more attention to the neighborhood now.
- [34:13]
B
What's that park over there?
- [34:14]
D
That park over there? That's A baseball field. When I was doing track, I ran this almost every day. Almost every day. I ran this, and I ran home. I shot my first ever a gun in that basketball court. My first gun, I shot in that basketball court. I was influenced, obviously. That's west side America. That's where you will find a lot of bloods. Like, we're not going to go on that block, because I don't want to put y' all in every day. But that's where you'll find all the bloods.
- [34:49]
A
How do you feel walking down the street with microphones pointing at you?
- [34:52]
D
I told them.
- [34:56]
A
So you told them this was going to happen?
- [34:57]
D
Yeah, I gave a little warning. I was like, I have to do a podcast in the neighborhood. I'm going to stay on this side. This all used to be a dance school. Yeah. You see right there? This was a dance school. A nail salon. My nail salon isn't there. Oh, wow. Oh, my nail salon is, isn't there? This is the best Chinese food spot in Southside. Jamaica Queen. The best. This is KB block.
- [35:31]
B
Who block?
- [35:32]
D
My block.
- [35:33]
B
Okay. This was the street with the foster home where Kasa grew up.
- [35:38]
A
We had heard about this foster home because the second time we met Kasia, remember, Earlonne, she had showed up at the door, and she hadn't showered. So this was the home that she told us she'd been kicked out of. Is that the house?
- [35:51]
D
It's the house. So you see this one right here where the car's in front of. Nice backyard. A nice front yard. You'll be able to see. It's a pool back there. It's a very big house.
- [36:01]
A
I was gonna say it's a big house.
- [36:02]
D
We have the biggest house on the.
- [36:04]
A
Yeah.
- [36:04]
D
And I was raised here basically all my life.
- [36:07]
A
What do you think about being here?
- [36:08]
D
It's my block, and I feel like it's not even my block.
- [36:10]
A
Like, do you feel like you shouldn't be here?
- [36:13]
D
No. I still know everybody here, but I just don't come over here because it's just a lot of emotions that come up, and I just don't want to be seen by none of that or have to deal with any of that. But, yeah, this is my neighborhood. This is where I grew up. This exact block. There's a pit bull in that house, too, that comes out and bites. Hopefully it don't come out while we out here.
- [36:38]
A
It's so. It seems so quiet.
- [36:40]
D
Right.
- [36:45]
B
The plan was that we walk to the bus stop together and head back towards the city.
- [36:51]
D
This is the Bus we're gonna take to Jamaica Avenue to get back to.
- [36:55]
A
Okay, I've never been in a bus. How do you pay for it? I mean, yeah, you don't have to pay.
- [36:58]
D
We're in Queen.
- [37:00]
A
You just walk on.
- [37:00]
D
Oh, you're not supposed to, but you're supposed to pay to get on. But you're with Keisha today, so just.
- [37:04]
A
Follow what you do. Hey, Earlonne. I kind of like this Keisha way, Nigel.
- [37:10]
B
I'm reformed, Nigel.
- [37:11]
A
I know, I know, I know. I can do the naughty stuff now. Anyway, once we got on the bus, we felt like we could finally talk about stuff. Like what had been going on when we tried to catch up with her last time. So last time we were here was August. It was August, I think, and we couldn't see you. Can you tell us why?
- [37:35]
D
I went through my depression, had hit, like, a real peak.
- [37:40]
A
Kaysha told us there's been an incident with her little sister, Eldora.
- [37:44]
B
She says that one day when Eldora was visiting her, the dog in her building bit. Eldora. Eldora was okay, but after that, she couldn't come see Kaysha anymore.
- [37:54]
A
Then Keisha's living situation fell through again.
- [37:59]
D
I deleted the social media, like, literally an hour or two before I did what I did. So it was me literally disappearing.
- [38:05]
A
Like. Yeah, leaving does not seem like you are just disappearing.
- [38:09]
D
I had nowhere to go, so I just spent, like, the last little bit of money I had. Got myself a hotel. But, like, being in that hotel, I don't know, I just really got, like, really, really sad. I felt like I had nobody or nothing. My bank account was empty. I had nobody I could call. I had no more places to go. I had no more options. Right, no more options.
- [38:32]
B
So you felt. That was the.
- [38:34]
D
I felt like I failed for. Because think about everything that I accomplished from, like, my life, from getting out of this neighborhood. Then it's like everything just came crashing back down. What hit when My little sister. When the dogs. When she got bit by the dogs and they said I couldn't visit them no more. That's what.
- [38:52]
B
Yeah, that's what took it.
- [38:53]
D
Yeah, that's what took it.
- [38:55]
A
So you don't know how your sister's doing?
- [38:58]
D
Wanna see something? It's the cutest thing. I cried my eyes out for a whole night because you know, I'm on social media, right? So I guess she found me. Hi, big sister. It's me, Eldora. I'm using my friend's phone. This was September 30th. I said, hi, baby girl. I Miss you so much and no reply. But it's just good enough to see that she felt me, though. Like, she knows my name and that's enough. As long as you know my name, you know, you can find me, you know?
- [39:31]
A
And how do you have, like, the energy for Drama Club? What are you getting out of doing it now?
- [39:36]
D
My first time coming was last week.
- [39:38]
A
What was it like going back?
- [39:40]
D
Everybody was really loving. That's what gets me to get to come to Drama Club, because every time I do disappear and I come back, it's a lot of love. And people just remind me, like, over and over again how much, like, an impact that, like, I've made, like, not only for, like, myself, but, like, on them. Like, just to see me grow, see me mature, see me, like, you know, become better. So it's like knowing that I'm making somebody proud because I don't have nobody to tell me I'm proud.
- [40:15]
B
We keep coming back to the idea of the loop, and that's what comes to mind when I think about Kayshia, even when she's up. It's precarious.
- [40:24]
A
Yeah. And it makes me think about what Kayshia needs. I mean, how much she needs and whether Drama club or really any single organization can do that for her. You know what I mean?
- [40:36]
B
Yeah.
- [40:42]
A
We got off the bus and remember, E, there was that accordion player outside in the sidewalk, and we all kind of just stood there and listened for a while.
- [40:51]
B
Yeah. And that was the last time we'd see Kaysha for a while. How you doing today?
- [41:07]
D
I'm doing good. How are you guys?
- [41:09]
B
We good. We good. When we saw Kia next, it was In June of 2025, a little over a year after we first met her. She came out and met us at this Airbnb where we were staying in Brooklyn.
- [41:21]
A
I'm used to being in more color.
- [41:23]
D
Yeah.
- [41:24]
A
Is there a reason? I mean, you look fantastic, but is there a reason for off my.
- [41:27]
D
I've definitely been my vibe, like, recently. Like, I don't know, not even, like, just the color, but just being, like, simple and just, like. I don't want to say I haven't been focused on my appearance, but it's so much other stuff going on that it's like I'm focused on, like, what's more important. I don't want to be seen right now. I don't want to be none of that.
- [41:44]
A
Last time we saw you, your hair was blue, maybe. Is it blue now?
- [41:48]
D
No, it's black.
- [41:49]
A
So why do you think you want to Be so covered and not seen.
- [41:53]
D
Because I'm not wear. I want to be. And I felt like I'm at a. What I realized is that trying to, like, push this image of, like, I'm, you know, a superstar. I'm a model. I'm bad. I'm pretty. I'm the baddest bitch alive. Right? It's like, I'm not that right now.
- [42:09]
A
Is it, like, how does that emotionally feel for you to make this switch?
- [42:15]
D
It's weird because my appearance, as I'm sure we all know, is a very big thing to me. Like, I never played about how I look. Like, I'm going everywhere. Whether it was to class, everything's always done. Like, I never played, but, like, I could look like that, and I was crashing on the inside. Feel me? And now it's like, I look how I feel, you know, Just trying to.
- [42:31]
B
Make it through wasn't the saying for that. Fake it till you make it.
- [42:34]
D
Yeah.
- [42:35]
B
So you cool on it?
- [42:36]
D
Yeah, I'm cool on that.
- [42:37]
B
Like, I need to make it, and.
- [42:38]
D
Then I ain't make it. Yeah, I need to make it. Like, I need to make. I need to get back.
- [42:42]
A
So where are you living now?
- [42:43]
D
I live with my father. Things are definitely way better. Shout out to my pops.
- [42:48]
B
Was your father in the streets or in jail?
- [42:51]
D
Yeah, he did everything.
- [42:53]
B
Kayshia didn't really know her dad at all when she was growing up.
- [42:56]
A
She only got to know him after she found him on Facebook when she was a teenager. And it's okay living with him now.
- [43:04]
D
In the beginning, it was weird, but now we're definitely learning each other. I love that man. To the ground. Like, don't cry. What I realized is we're like each other. We're hurt. Feel me? Our childhoods wasn't the best or whatever. So depending on people, loving people, supporting people is not our easiest thing. And we've been better. Like, once we put both our trauma aside and we just bond with each other. I'm really my father, kid. Like, I see where I come from. Like, for real, I see where I come from. Definitely. Y' all want to see a picture?
- [43:37]
A
Yeah.
- [43:38]
D
I'm gonna let y' all hear a video. You gonna learn how to answer your problem, man. This is my father. This is our father, And that's really him. Like, that's. I'm the same way. Like, if I'm. I really don't care.
- [44:05]
A
Like, would you get up on a.
- [44:06]
D
Table like that if I had to lick it? Like, he'd be having in his System, Probably.
- [44:10]
B
Yeah.
- [44:10]
A
Like, wait, so when he acts like that he's drunk, do you care? Like, do you feel embarrassed? Or you're just like, that's just my dad, or do you think it's funny?
- [44:19]
D
It's funny because he's so old.
- [44:24]
A
So for the foreseeable future, you'll be living with your dad, not for the future.
- [44:30]
D
So right now I'm just focused on stacking money for getting money.
- [44:34]
B
Nigel got a question she wanted to clarify about the life.
- [44:38]
A
He's gonna make me ask this. Okay, so last time we were talking to you, I think it was last time, you're like, I don't want to get back into the life.
- [44:45]
D
And I'm back in the life.
- [44:47]
A
I asked you what it meant, and you and Earlonne looked at each other like. And he said two things. It could mean. No, I'm gonna say him out loud.
- [44:55]
B
So I said, selling drugs and in the gang world.
- [45:02]
D
Have I been more involved in both of those? Yes. Yes, but am I doing any of those? No. Like, I myself am not. But have I surrounded myself with people like that again?
- [45:12]
A
Yes, but how does this. If you're surrounding yourself with people.
- [45:17]
D
I'm standing my ground. I'm standing on business. I'm a grown woman.
- [45:19]
A
But you can still not get.
- [45:21]
D
That's what I've learned. I'm a grown woman before. I was scared before, like, I don't know. But now it's like, we ain't nothing. We ain't doing nothing but literally dying and get it and getting locked up. I can't live that life. It's like, I don't want to. I don't want to be dead. Like. Like, I don't. I don't want to go out like that.
- [45:43]
A
So how are you making money to take care of yourself?
- [45:46]
D
Music. Music.
- [45:47]
A
And you can make enough money doing that or some money makes.
- [45:50]
D
I make some money.
- [45:51]
A
Is it enough to live on?
- [45:56]
D
I only have three songs out before and the check that I got last year was seventy something dollars and I was off of three songs. Okay. I'm gonna drop crazy this year. So.
- [46:08]
A
All right.
- [46:09]
D
That's times that now by it's something. Yeah, something. And that's just with a little couple New York views. So now imagine with my music, if it actually starts, you know, going up more and stuff like that. I mean, I don't know. When you don't gotta pay rent, life is good.
- [46:23]
A
Okay.
- [46:23]
D
And as of right now, my father holding it down.
- [46:27]
A
Okay.
- [46:27]
D
I actually have a song dropping Saturday.
- [46:30]
A
Ah, you're just A little preview.
- [46:35]
D
How did I start it? Hold on. Why can't I remember? I'll be getting shy 15 looking for some love I had met this one girl she was older, she was kind Knew I had to make her mind and everything had got messed up I ain't know if it was love it was niggas left to right she ain't come home that one night so I had to let her go Left that bitch alone had my shit packed at the door I wasn't hearing it no more.
- [47:05]
B
Where do you see yourself at in, like, five years now?
- [47:09]
D
When I turned 21, everybody's been saying, like, go do your. Go live your life, Kayshia. Like, go travel. Go. You can move. You could go do anything now. And it's like, it's unreal because I talked about this moment for so long. And it's like, now that it's here, it's like I'm a little stuck. I don't want to leave the nest yet. I don't even have a nest, and I don't want to leave it. Like, I'm a. I'm staying. I'm staying on it. I'm not going to give up. Something's going to come soon.
- [47:35]
B
We knew this might be the last time we saw Keisha for the story. I wondered how the experience of talking to us was going to affect her.
- [47:43]
A
Yeah, I mean, this was a really personal story, and it's not the type of story we normally do following one person like this, especially somebody her age. And I know we were both worried, you know, how is this experience going to linger with her? And what was it going to be like when she actually heard the episode? Was she going to have anyone to talk to about it?
- [48:03]
D
Did you know you could invent a chat GPT now?
- [48:05]
A
Isn't that weird?
- [48:06]
D
It's amazing.
- [48:07]
A
Is it helpful?
- [48:08]
D
It's amazing.
- [48:09]
A
Can I put something and see what it says? Can I talk it in?
- [48:11]
D
Yeah.
- [48:13]
A
Okay. All right. I'm working on an audio story, and the person we're talking to is having a hard time. I'm worried our story could be hard for her to hear. What should we do? This is when I hear the response. It's good that you're thinking about the emotional impact of your story. That's an important part of ethical storytelling. Here are a few steps you can take to handle the situation with care. Check in with her directly.
- [48:37]
B
And to give you a gang of.
- [48:38]
A
Prompts, offer to pause or exit. Let her know it's okay to take a break. This is the third thing, which we would never do, give her a say in the final story, because we never do that. Let her know she can review and hear parts of the story before it's published. We just don't do that. Provide support and resources. Be prepared to let go of the story.
- [49:02]
D
I would never do that to you.
- [49:04]
A
Okay. Interesting. Okay, well, I'm going to think these things through. Okay. But it is weird to hear a story about yourself.
- [49:11]
D
Yeah.
- [49:12]
A
Would you be upset if you heard in this story that I say, I'm worried about you?
- [49:16]
D
No, I'm worried about me. I don't even trust myself sometimes. Like, feel me. So when people say that, I don't mind. I need y' all to worry for me. That's what keeps me going for real.
- [49:33]
A
So if you were putting this episode together about you, what would you say the storyline is? What's your story?
- [49:42]
D
I feel like every single time we met, feel me, it's been something going on. It was a moment where I was really down or whatever. I had nothing, and I never gave up. No matter how much I wanted to. No matter how much I felt like, fuck this shit, I stayed and I'll make it to the next time.
- [50:15]
A
Earlonne. We really asked a lot of Keisha, right, for her to give us permission to follow her through her ups and downs. And we know Keisha's listening to this episode. You know, I wonder what that feels like for her.
- [50:29]
B
I mean, it's a big thing, you know, to expose yourself or just to yo. Your bare naked truth. This is me. You know, the good, the bad, the ugly. She put a lot of trust in us. So we appreciate that, and we thank you, Keisha. We do.
- [50:44]
A
Keisha's in my heart.
- [50:45]
B
Yeah, Keisha, cool people. Yeah, Keisha, cool people.
- [50:48]
A
She is. This series is definitely about loops, but it occurs to me it's also about endings. I mean, Keisha's trying to end one stage of her life and move on to another.
- [51:04]
B
Right. And with Drama Club, there's always an ending, too. One cohort of kids finishes the program, and another one starts. That's what was going on at Crossroads on our last visit.
- [51:17]
A
Cesar and Tiny, the teachers, were hosting a graduation for a group of kids who had just completed the program.
- [51:24]
E
This is the part where we give you the certificates to make sure that everybody understands that while you're here, you're doing the best that you can to, like, stay active in a positive way.
- [51:32]
A
Yeah.
- [51:33]
E
So the first one is going to be.
- [51:36]
A
And meanwhile, the founder of Drama Club, Josie Whittlesea, was moving on too, leaving something behind.
- [51:43]
F
I am Josie Whittlesea, and I am the outgoing executive director of drama club and founder.
- [51:50]
B
Outgoing, huh?
- [51:51]
F
Yep. Next week. Next Thursday. Last day.
- [51:55]
A
What is it like to leave a place that you founded?
- [51:58]
F
It's like.
- [52:01]
D
I think I'm kind of.
- [52:02]
F
Numb about it right now because I'm just trying to get through it. It's like, I was just describing it to Sophie as, like, unconflicted grief. Like, there's a grief, but it's not, oh, could I have done this or should have done that? Like, I'm sure that I want to go. I'm sure I'm ready, but it's painful because I love it, and I love the kids, and I love. I just love drama club.
- [52:24]
E
Javier, you definitely showed up 120%.
- [52:31]
D
Isaac was always the one to be like, all right, guys, let's finish it. Let's go through it. Like, bringing everybody in, in a sense.
- [52:39]
E
You came in with less than three classes. You still managed to get up and do a show. Right. That takes a lot of willing to say yes and a lot of trusting the people around you to make you look good.
- [52:50]
D
Right. It's never a dull moment because he's gonna definitely make you laugh and annoy you a little bit, but that's normal.
- [52:58]
E
And then eventually, when you started to really, really, really understand what we were doing, the stories that we were telling, I saw you jump in 100%. Right. And for that, I thank you. I thank you for continuing to come in.
- [53:08]
D
Right.
- [53:08]
E
So let's get. Give Wes a count of the block.
- [53:12]
D
I'm gonna give you your certificate, and I just. I'm so happy to take.
- [53:23]
B
In your time here. What was your mission with the drummer club?
- [53:28]
F
My mission was to slow the flow into prison, into adult prison, interrupt that school to prison pipeline. And to be completely honest, when I started really getting involved in the system, I was like, there's so many factors that I'm not sure as wonderful as a drama club is, it's going to be able to interrupt. For me, I had to change what success looked like.
- [53:57]
E
Pass the energy, pass the zip, zip, zip, fire.
- [54:01]
A
What does success look like?
- [54:04]
F
Success looks like engagement, laughter, surprising yourself, connecting with others, forgetting where you are.
- [54:18]
A
That's interesting. Those are beautiful but ephemeral moments that hopefully then also stay with people. Yeah.
- [54:27]
F
And you hope they ripple.
- [54:28]
A
Ripple. What's different? Where you started and now 12 years later? What do you think are the most substantial changes in you doing this program, maybe in terms of, like, your hope about stuff or your cynicism about things or working with people working in different facilities.
- [54:59]
F
That's a big, big question.
- [55:00]
A
I know. Too big.
- [55:04]
F
I will say there's more kids in lockup than I've ever seen in the last 12 years right now. So that doesn't make me so hopeful. I don't perceive there's going to be significant changes in maybe my lifetime. It would be great if there were. So it's like, how do you work with what's there and try to make it better? You know, there's some other kids that I've known almost half their lives now, and they're doing well, you know? And so I do know that that consistent piece is. There's hope around that.
- [55:46]
A
Just for fun, I'm asking everyone to say the five rules because I want to see how hard it is for them to say it.
- [55:50]
F
Yes. And no violence. The who, what, where. Find the conflict. Find the resolution. Make your scene partner look good.
- [55:58]
A
Flawless.
- [55:59]
E
Flawless.
- [56:03]
F
When we ask them what their favorite rule of improv is, it's strangely. Make your scene partner look good. It's the hardest one, I think, because it's about bailing someone out when you see that they're lost at sea. I find it hard. So I'm always. I'm always surprised. That's their favorite rule. It's a sophisticated rule.
- [56:40]
B
Next time, in the last episode of this series, we're taking the train uptown for a very different kind of story.
- [56:48]
A
Right. This was the story that took us to Rikers Island, a place we've been hearing about for years. And honestly, Earlonne, Rikers looms large in the imagination of us and the general public.
- [57:01]
B
Oh, yeah. You know, everybody know about Rikers. It's notorious.
- [57:04]
A
Yeah.
- [57:04]
B
You know, blades in the mouth, all kind of shit.
- [57:06]
A
Yeah.
- [57:07]
B
But this story is a different side of that place. Rikers is doing something that you and I have never heard of a jail doing before.
- [57:16]
A
Never.
- [57:16]
B
That's next time on the final episode of the Loop. For Count Time. We're going back to San Quentin with a challenge that I gave our inside team, which was we want y' all to come up with a new holiday song.
- [57:42]
A
Right. For years, we had an Ear Hustle holiday song, but it was made by a bunch of guys who have since been released.
- [57:48]
B
Yeah. So we needed a new one. So today we're going out on this dope new song for the holidays from Ear Hustle's inside producer Tham Nguyen.
- [58:02]
D
Sam.
- [58:47]
G
It happens every year. Loved ones reunite, letting go. Resentment built up over time. Sharing food and stories help us laugh and say Life's too precious to focus on lesser things Lesser things no one has to be alone Everyone should have someone. We don't have to wait until December comes Give the love we have today Share our love we don't have to wait until December comes We don't need a holiday to share our love. This year's man hectic was still a little off Seems like we're going back backwards how we get so lost Friends and family keep the faith Guide us back to life Take the time to celebrate what's going right what we've done.
- [60:29]
D
Right.
- [60:32]
G
No one has to be alone Everyone should have have a song. We don't have to wait until December comes Give the love we have today Share our love we don't have to wait until December comes We don't need a holiday to share our love.
- [61:06]
C
We.
- [61:06]
G
Don'T have to wait until December comes Get the love we have today Share our love we don't have to wait until December comes We don't need a holiday to share our love.
- [61:31]
D
Sam.
- [62:01]
B
That song was written and performed by Tom Nguyen with Brian Conroy on trumpets.
- [62:05]
A
And drums, engineering by Tony Tafoya and Hanuk Rufael with help from Darrell Siddiq Davis.
- [62:18]
B
Ear Hustle would like to thank Adam Brown at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, the City University of New York, and Joanne Smith darden and Heather McCauley at Michigan State University's School of Social Work for bringing us into this project and for all of their advocacy and support along the way.
- [62:37]
A
Big thanks too to the Drama Club team including Josie Whittlesey, Cesar Rosado, Tiffany Tiny Cruz, Abby Pierce, Sophie Jones and Ashley Adams.
- [62:48]
B
And thanks to Nancy Ginsberg, Ailes Kanzi and Commissioner Danhauser at New York City Administration for Children's Services for saying yes to this project.
- [63:01]
A
As always, thank you to the administrations at San Quentin Rehabilitation center, the California Institution for Women and at the Central California Women's Facility for their ongoing support of our work.
- [63:14]
B
Music for this episode is by Darrell Sadiq Davis, David Jassy, Antwan Williams and me. If you want to hear more about the making of this series, check out Ear Hustle plus.
- [63:24]
A
Yeah, recently we brought the team into the studio to talk about what it was like making this series. You know, the challenges, what surprised us, all the behind the scenes stuff.
- [63:34]
B
That conversation is only on Ear Hustle Plus.
- [63:37]
A
For full credits and more information about this episode, check out our show notes on Ear Hustle's website, earhustlesq.com.
- [63:45]
B
This episode was made possible by the Jest Trust and building a smaller, more humane engine of justice and safety across the country.
- [63:54]
A
You can find us on social media, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Bluesky.
- [63:59]
B
And if you're not already, follow and leave a review for Ear Hustle wherever you listen to your podcast. Reviews really help us out and they help people find the show.
- [64:09]
A
Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia from prx, a network of independent, creator owned, listener supported podcasts.
- [64:17]
B
Discover audio with vision at Radiotopia fm.
- [64:20]
A
I'm Nigel Poor.
- [64:21]
B
I'm Earlonne Woods. Thanks for listening. Radiotopia.
- [64:38]
A
From prx.