In this episode, Kat sits down with Ivelyse Andino, Afro-Latina founder of Radical Health, the first Latina-owned public benefit corp in New York focused on health equity. They talk about what it means to build a healthcare system centered in justice, the power of community conversations, and how Ivelyse’s personal story led her to create a company that’s transforming how people—especially marginalized communities—access care.

From tackling medical mistrust to creating tech that empowers rather than extracts, this conversation is all about reclaiming health, joy, and voice. Tune in for an inspiring look at what it means to build something radical—and deeply human.

Thanks for listening to Season 1 of Choose the Bear. We'll be on a break until Season 2 returns in October!

What happens when outdated laws and stigma collide with your most personal truths? In this powerful episode, activist Robert Suttle shares his story of being prosecuted under Louisiana’s HIV criminalization laws—and how that conviction shaped his experience of dating, intimacy, and identity as a gay Black man in the South. We talk about what it means to build a full life after incarceration, how HIV laws perpetuate injustice, and why living single can be a radical act of freedom.
Follow Robert on Instagram at @suttlevision and learn more about the fight to end HIV criminalization.

Questions? Want to share your story? choosethebearpod@gmail.com

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Allie Redhorse Young, writer, organizer, and founder of Protect the Sacred, to talk about navigating single life, identity, and activism as a Navajo woman. We explore the cultural perceptions of being unmarried and childfree in Indigenous communities, the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and how Allie is empowering Native youth through civic engagement and storytelling.

This is an unflinching, deeply personal conversation about honoring your roots while forging your own path.

Allie's Elle article about missing Native women.

Questions or want to share your story? choosethebearpod@gmail.com