Ali Prout had only been at the Central California Women’s Facility for a few days when an officer stopped her at a checkpoint. “You have beautiful lips and beautiful eyes,” he said. And that was just the beginning. But he didn’t realize… this time he’d picked the wrong girl. Part 1 of 3.

This episode contains violence against women, sexual assault, and strong language. Please take care while listening. 

"We Are Jane Doe" is a new 3-part series from KQED’s Snap Studios. 

Over three episodes, we trace Ali Prout's dramatic fight for justice and the stunning ripple effects that threaten to upend the system of power and control at one of the largest women’s prisons on earth.

KQED reporters Anna Sussman and Madi Bolaños spent two years investigating this story. They spoke to more than a dozen women incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility, read through hundreds of pages of internal prison documents, obtained leaked audio, and painstakingly watched hours of video footage to reconstruct one of the most complex and devastating use-of-force incidents in state history.   

This series was made possible in part with support from The Poynter Institute.

Produced by: Madi Bolaños, Anna Sussman & Sukey Lewis

Featured Story Voices: Aliksandria Prout, Katrina Cameron, Christina Wind, Wisdom Mohammed, Elizabeth Lozano

Editors: Sukey Lewis, Nancy Lopez & Mark Ristich

Fact-checking: Mark Bettancourt

Original Music & Engineering: Dirk Schwarzhoff

Director of Production: Marisa Dodge

Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark Ristich

Season 17 - Episode 34

A man washes up on shore in Sitka, Alaska and finds himself in the middle of an underground boxing show. It’s a place where you might duke it out with the bartender, the locals, or your own troubled past.

This episode contains violence and strong language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

Thank you, Jaed “The Stone” Coffin, for sharing your story with us! For more about Jaed’s story, check out his memoir Roughhouse Friday.

Produced by Bo Walsh, original score by Doug Stuart, artwork by Teo Ducot

Snap Classic - Season 17 - Episode 42

On the volcanic island of La Palma biologists unravel a massive mystery. Is it a crime scene, a treasure or a dream come true? And in the town of Trinidad a grade school trip to the ocean is about to get beautiful, raw, and wild.

Whalecano

On the volcanic island of La Palma biologists unravel a massive mystery. Is it a crime scene, a treasure or a dream come true?

A huge thank you to Paula Alonso, and Dr. Antonio Fernandez for sharing your story with Snap!

Produced by Erick Yáñez, with help from Anna Sussman. Original score by Nicholas Marks. Translation by Elvis Di Marcantonio. Art by Teo Ducot. 

The Trinidad Whale

In the town of Trinidad a grade school trip to the ocean is about to get beautiful, raw, and wild.

Special thanks to Trinidad elementary’s seventh grade class: Alana, Jolena, Xavier, Joda and Atticus. Thanks as well to the third grade class: Remy, Harriet, Emmett Bowman, Margie Cunningham and Emmett Bowman. 

Big thanks also to The Marine Mammal Stranding network at Cal Poly Humboldt, Alison Lewis, Dr. Dawn Gulley, The Trinidad Rancheria, Ron Sundberg, Selena Rowan, Dessa Gunning, and Jessica Gravelle. 

Produced by Sukey Lewis, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff. 

Season 17 - Episode 41

In sweet home Alabama, from the heart of Libya, comes a renegade candidate with a boombox and a head scarf. The cheerleaders, the geeks, the dweebs and the freaks are about to send a message the country needs right after 9/11.

A very big thank you to Yasmin! Yasmin is a comedian and storyteller. You can follow her on Instagram @yasminelhahahady or TikTok @yasmin_elhady. She first told a version of this story at Story District in Washington, DC.

Produced by Justin Kramon, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Snap Classic - Season 17 – Episode 40

There’s a jumbie in a jalopy and the spirits are flowing during happy hour on St. Thomas. Plus, everybody kicks butt in Lee’s Los Gatos Spin Class but Cycle 23 is out of this world. 

Snap Judgment presents this year's Campfire Tales... "Hot Wheels.” A supernatural summer tradition that features stories from our evil twin Spooked. Spooked drops weekly, you can listen on any podcast platform. Tune in and be afraid...

STORIES

Joyride

There’s a jumbie in a jalopy and the spirits are flowing during happy hour on St. Thomas.

Thanks, Greg, for sharing your story! Produced and scouted by Paulina Creque, original score by Doug Stuart, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Soul Cycle 

Everybody kicks ass in Lee’s Spin Class but Cycle 23 is out of this world. 

Thanks Lee for sharing your story! Produced by Zoë Ferrigno, original score by Sandra Lawson-Ndu.

Season 17 - Episode 39

Hold onto your mullets! British drummer Nick Murphy and his band are overjoyed after signing a record deal with THE Quincy Jones in 1984. That is, until a chance encounter with one of the biggest stars in the world changes everything. And the story of a talented luchador who has an uphill battle to get the crowd and the press on his side.

STORIES

Feelabeelia: One-Hit Wonder?

Hold onto your mullets! British drummer Nick Murphy and his band are overjoyed after signing a record deal with THE Quincy Jones in 1984. That is, until a chance encounter with one of the biggest stars in the world changes everything.

Major thanks to Nick Murphy for sharing your story with Snap. Nick still lives in Leicester today and he’s continuing to make his dreams come true as one of the oldest students at De Montfort University, where he studies music technology.

Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Clay Xavier, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Cassandro El Exotico

Cassandro is an up-and-coming luchador, a professional Mexican wrestler. He wants to get to the big arenas. He’s got the talent, no doubt. But because he’s also one of the only openly gay fighters, he’s got an uphill battle to get the crowd and the press on his side.

This story contains graphic imagery regarding suicide. Please take care while listening. 

Thank you for sharing your story, Cassandro!

Produced by Eliza Smith, sound design by Leon Morimoto.

Season 17 – Episode 38

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A pizza delivery guy goes full superhero out on the job. And a husband trying to bring joy to his pregnant wife pays a high price to satisfy her sweet tooth. 

Super Pizza Man

A pizza delivery guy goes full superhero out on the job. 

A huge thank you to Nicholas Bostic for sharing your story!

Nick would go on to be awarded the prestigious Carnegie Medal of Honor; the highest civilian honor for heroism. He currently runs his own lawn care business in Lafayette, Indiana. 

Produced by Bo Walsh, edited by Anna Sussman, original score by Nick Marks, art by Teo Ducot.

Heavy, High & Far 

A husband trying to bring joy to his pregnant wife pays a high price to satisfy her sweet tooth. 

A huge thank you to Gastor Almonte for sharing his story with Snap!

Gastor is a standup comedian and storyteller from Brooklyn. He’s also the co-host of the weekly comedy news podcast “The War Report” You can watch Gastor perform this story live for the World. You can also find him on Instagram.

Produced by Bo Walsh, edited by Anna Sussman, original score by Clay Xavier.

Season 17 - Episode 37

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The dead man does not know the value of his coffin. 

This episode comes to us from Mind Your Own! Mind Your Own is a storytelling podcast navigating what it means to belong, all from the African perspective. Join Lupita Nyong’o as she shares tales of her own and dives into the lives of real people finding their way in new worlds of every kind. Listen to and enjoy Mind Your Own on any podcast platform! 

This episode contains strong language and graphic imagery. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

“Comeuppance”

12-year-old Lupita’s split-second playground decision haunts her for years.

Produced by Regina Bediako & Marisa Dodge. Original score by Clay Xavier.

“Graveyard Shift”

John Kibera has found the hustle to end all hustles in Nairobi. The shillings pour in. But one day, a job goes very, very wrong.

Thank you, John, for sharing your story with us.

Produced by David Exumé. Original score by Lalin St. Juste and Sam Law. Translation by Salome Nduku. Voiceover by Ndungi Githuku. Special thanks to our fixer Michael Kaloki.

Original Mind Your Own theme song by Sandra Lawson-Ndu AKA Sandu Ndu x Peachcurls ft. Ehiorobo. This episode also featured the song O.T.T by Rouge.

Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark Ristich
Managing Editor: Regina Bediako
Director of Production: Marisa Dodge
Series Producers: David Exumé and Priscilla Alabi
Music Supervisor: Sandra Lawson-Ndu
Story Scouts: Ashley Okwuosa, Fiona Nyong’o, Jessica Kariisa, Lesedi Oluko Moche
Editors: Nancy López and Anna Sussman
Engineering: Miles Lassi
Operations Manager: Florene Wiley
Story Consultant: John Fecile
Graphic Design: Jemimah Ekeh
Original Artwork: Mateus Sithole

Special Thanks: Allan Coye, Jake Kleinberg, Samara Still, Sarah Yoo, Warner Music Group, and Afripods

Mind Your Own is a production of KQED’s Snap Studios, with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. Hosted and produced by Lupita Nyong’o.

Join Snap+ if you aren't already a member! Get bonus eps, an ad-free stream and more.

Chase the storm until it chases you.

Tornadoes! They don’t look like they do in the movies. When you’re in the path of one, all you’ll see is a wall of black wind. This week, Snap is heading directly into the monster’s maw to chase storms that should be left alone.

Big thanks to Craig Wolter! Thank you, Windom High School… especially Sarah, Benny, and Danielle. Crystal Frank, another student on the trip, shared her home video with us. This story would not have been possible without her.

Many thanks also to Sue, for sharing your story with us. Sue’s memoir is titled The Lake Turned Upside Down.

Produced by John Fecile, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot.

If you listened to our radio broadcast and want to find out what happened to the 24 people that shut themselves in a beer cooler to wait out one of the strongest tornadoes in recorded history, you can listen to the full length version of the “Eye of the Storm” story here. 

Season 17 – Episode 35

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Randy, the local surfing legend is in a one-man battle with the blaze at Sunset Point. Plus, the blizzard of the century traps four men on top of a Tennessee bald, frozen and hungry, but with a song in their heart.

Sunset Point

Randy, the local surfing legend is in a one-man battle with the blaze at Sunset Point. 

Thanks to Randy and Andrew for sharing your stories with us.

Thanks to the whole Sunset Point surf crew. Special thanks to Sonya Geis, Phil Richards, and KCRW. And shout to Los Angeles Fire Department Station 23. The heroes who put out the fire on Gladstones and fought the flames in the Palisades.

This story was produced by Jesse Dukes, John Fecile, and David Exumé. Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff. 

Tennessee Whiteout 

The blizzard of the century traps four men on top of a Tennessee bald, frozen and hungry, but with a song in their heart.

Thank you Roger Redding for sharing your story with us!

Produced by Anna Sussman, edited by Nancy Lopez, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff. 

Season 17 - Episode 34

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