Motorsports broadcaster Amanda Busick joins Kat to talk about how she went from unpaid internships and waiting tables to becoming one of the most recognizable reporters in racing. She shares the Weston Workman first-win moment, why timing and preparation matter, and how trust with drivers turns interviews into real storytelling.We dig into the Women with Drive Summit in Indianapolis, the rise of women across motorsports, and the tension between popularity and craft in modern media. Amanda walks through a full race week, from research calls to garage conversations to post-race hits, and explains why drivers are absolutely athletes. New to racing? She offers a simple starter guide for finding your series and your favorite drivers.In this episode:Breaking into a male dominated field without connectionsBuilding credibility with drivers and crewsWomen with Drive Summit and growing communityPrep routines for NASCAR and NHRA weekendsDrivers as athletes, fitness and recoveryDrive to Survive, F1 buzz, and how it helps the whole sportPractical advice for young women aiming for on air rolesIf you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, comment, and share with a friend who loves fast cars and great journalism. Follow Amanda @amandabusick on Instagram.New episodes weekly on Choose the Bear.

Journalist and author Marissa R. Moss (Her Country) joins Kat to dig into the gender and race politics of country music: why country radio still matters in 2025, how the industry keeps women and Black artists off the air, and what it will take to change Nashville’s power structure.

We talk Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, Taylor Swift's move from country to Pop, Mickey Guyton’s “Black Like Me,” Maren Morris’s exit from the Nashville machine, the erasure of Black and Latino roots in country, and why the genre keeps pushing its best women to pop, rock, or Americana. Marissa also shares a sneak peek at her new ’90s-rock book and shouts out new women artists you should be playing this week.In this episode:• Country radio’s outsized influence today• The Nashville “family” myth and the boys’-club loop• How women get labeled “too political” for telling the truth• Black roots in country and the ongoing gatekeeping• Southern rock/Americana as a workaround to Music Row• Artists to watch: Carter Faith, Kelsey Waldon, Caitlin Butts, Kaylee Hammack, Jillian Jacqueline, Cam• Marissa’s newsletter: Don’t Rock the Inbox- https://www.dontrocktheinbox.com/• Marissa's big Rolling Stone article- https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/inside-country-radios-dark-secret-history-of-sexual-harassment-and-misconduct-253573/If you enjoyed this: rate/review the show, share it with a friend, and tag us so we can repost. Want to share your story? choosethebearpod@gmail.com

Comedian, writer, and facilitator Amma Marfo joins Kat to talk about her hour-long special Fidget Spinster—a hilarious, thoughtful look at being single by choice, living with anxiety, and building a joyful life that doesn’t orbit dating or marriage. We dig into why women flock to trustworthy celeb crushes (hi, Pedro Pascal), how comedy still sidelines single women’s stories, and practical ways to start scary new things without perfectionism. We also get into Amma’s book Cultivating Creativity, resilience vs. “grit,” first-gen students, and building community as a single adult.

Watch Amma’s special (Fidget Spinster) and follow her work.

If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.

And don't forget, everything you are is more than enough.

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

Alyssa Carson, astrobiologist, PhD student, and aspiring astronaut, joins Kat Calvin to talk about the real path to space and why Mars is more than a dream.

Alyssa breaks down astrobiology “like you’re five,” shares what astronaut selection actually looks like (hint: astronaut is a destination, not a job), and explains how Moon and Mars missions fuel everyday innovations on Earth. They also dig into Artemis timelines, the boom in private space, and dozens of non-astronaut careers in space, from psychology and human factors to food science and habitat design.

You’ll hear:

• How a kid’s fascination with Mars became a serious scientific career

• Pilot licenses, scuba, and other training- what helps and what’s just hype

• Astrobiology 101: icy moons, methane seas, and the search for microbial life

• Why funding the Moon/Mars push pays off on Earth (food, radiation shielding, tech)

• Artemis updates and realistic odds for a crewed Mars mission

• Space jobs beyond “astronaut” (and why teams beat heroes)

• Women who paved Alyssa’s way, and the power of a great dad & support system

• Practical advice for big, “impossible” goals at any age

Alyssa's Book: Ready for Liftoff

Watch next: Franchesca Ramsey

If this episode inspired you, please like, share, and subscribe.

And remember, everything you are is more than enough.

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

Franchesca Ramsey, comedian, actress, writer, and accidental activist, joins Kat Calvin for the Season 2 premiere of Choose the Bear. From her viral hit Shit White Girls Say to Black Girls to her recent Leopards Ate My Face song, Franchesca has spent 20 years turning comedy into a tool for social change.

In this episode, she and Kat talk about:

• Why women are so drawn to true crime

• The highs and lows of going viral—then vs. now

• How comedy and satire help us survive political upheaval

• The rise of family vloggers and the dangers of child exploitation online

• Why friendships deserve the same priority as romantic relationships

• Her joyful podcast Let Me Fix It and the work of sustaining community

Whether you know her from The Nightly Show, her bestselling book Well, That Escalated Quickly, or her unforgettable viral videos, you’ll love hearing Franchesca’s wisdom, wit, and warmth.

Leopards Ate My Face

Shit White Girls Say to Black Girls

Well, That Escalated Quickly

If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.

And don't forget, everything you are is more than enough.

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

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