Best Anita Rao Podcasts (2025)

1
Beyond Bromance: Searching For Deeper Male Friendship 50:20

1d ago50:20

50:20

American men are in a friendship recession. Compared to a few decades ago, five times as many men have no close friends. So what’s going on? Anita talks with Mark Pagán, creator and host of the podcast “Other Men Need Help,” about what makes close friendships among men so fraught — and what we can do about it. They talk about everything from why Ma…

1
Speaking Imperfectly, Belonging Fully 46:27

3d ago46:27

46:27

Do you speak more than one language—but feel truly fluent in none? You’re not alone. In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Saadia Khan is joined by Angela Lin, founder of Real You Mandarin, to explore how language shapes our identities, relationships, and sense of belonging. Angela, a Taiwanese American polyglot, believes language …

1
A Doctor’s Intuition Lost And Found 50:21

9d ago50:21

50:21

Doctors are expected to make high-stakes decisions quickly and often. And while plenty of medical guidelines exist, sometimes finding the right answer relies on intuition as much as logic. So what happens when suddenly that intuition is … gone? Retired anesthesiologist Dr. Ronald Dworkin tells Anita about the day he lost his intuition and how he go…

1
From Spinning Beats to Saving Earth (May 2024) 41:54

10d ago41:54

41:54

April is Earth Month — a time to reflect on the state of our planet, address urgent environmental issues, strategize action, and hold ourselves and others accountable. In that spirit, we’re bringing back an essential conversation from the Immigrantly vault. This episode with futurist and climate optimist Amer Jandali originally aired on May 28, 202…

1
Decades Of ‘Death Cramps’ Later, A Search For Answers To Period Pain 50:21

17d ago50:21

50:21

Ever since Kate Downey got her first extremely painful period at age 14, every month feels like playing Russian roulette with her uterus. Will she get “normal” abdominal discomfort — or excruciating, life-disrupting “death cramps”? After decades of not knowing the cause of her pain, Kate set out to find an answer to her very own medical mystery…and…

1
Designed to Exclude: How Policy Shaped the Fate of Mexican Immigrants in Texas 52:05

17d ago52:05

52:05

What if the barriers to success weren’t personal but structural, intentional, and decades in the making? In this episode of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan sits down with demographers Jennifer Hook and James Bachmeier, authors of a groundbreaking new book, Texas-Style Exclusion: Mexican Americans and the Legacy of Limited Opportunity, that traces how…

1
Why We Need Trans Tech In 2025 50:20

24d ago50:20

50:20

When technology creators see problems … they fix them. No less is true for trans designers, who for decades have responded to emergent needs in their community with technological innovation. Trans scholar Oliver Haimson tells Anita why it's vital to understand the role of trans technology in this particular political moment. He shares stories from …

1
Too Foreign for Home, Too Foreign for Here 42:25

24d ago42:25

42:25

Identity isn’t always a box you check; it’s a journey. In this episode of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan sits down with Beatriz Nour, the creator of Inbetweenish, a podcast that unpacks the complexities of belonging across cultures, languages, and traditions. Beatriz shares her personal story of navigating three cultures, four languages, and two rel…

1
Why Black Women’s Disordered Eating Is Overlooked 50:05

1M ago50:05

50:05

Despite a decade of restrictive behavior and a career path in mental health counseling, Alishia McCullough had never associated herself with the phrase eating disorder. She’s not alone – while eating disorders affect all races and ethnicities at similar rates, people of color are less than half as likely to receive a diagnosis than their white coun…

1
Writing Like Nobody’s Watching 48:21

1M ago48:21

48:21

What happens when we step outside our own understanding of identity and embrace the messy, beautiful, and sometimes contradictory stories that shape us? In this episode of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan sits down with writer and television executive Nayantara Roy to explore the intersections of storytelling, belonging, and cultural memory. From navi…

1
Mixed: Owning Your Multiracial Story 35:13

1M ago35:13

35:13

When Anita moved away to college, she experienced a big shift in her biracial identity. Turns out that the questions that emerged for her are ones that many mixed young adults still ponder today ...15 years later. She meets two college seniors and they talk through navigating everything from "Where do I belong?" to "How do I date?" Plus she hears w…

1
Hearing 'No' Like An Immigrant 54:25

1M ago54:25

54:25

How do you go from fleeing your home country to building a Luxury Fashion Empire? Dr. Neri Karra did just that—without the fluff, the nonsense, or selling out. In this episode of Immigrantly, I sit down with Neri to talk about how she built a global brand, teaches at Oxford, and still finds time to write about immigrant entrepreneurship experiences…

1
Forgive, But Don’t Forget: Sexuality & Healing From Religious Trauma 50:12

2M ago50:12

50:12

When Celeste Gracia was 17, her religiously conservative parents sent her to conversion therapy. This was the same summer that the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, giving queer people across the country cause for celebration. It would take years before Celeste felt that same joy and freedom, and today, the 27-year-old environment reporter…

1
Riding Along with Kareem Rahma: Creating 'Keep The Meter Running' and More (April 2023) 39:39

2M ago39:39

39:39

I am excited to re-drop one of my favorite episodes featuring the incredible Kareem Rahma! When we first recorded this chat, Kareem was all about "Keep the Meter Running." Now, he's taken his journey to new heights with "Subway Takes." It's a series of short videos created by Kareem Rahma that offer his opinions on brands and pop culture, and he is…

1
Sexual Liberation for Single Moms 49:04

2M ago49:04

49:04

Most parents in Anita's life tell her that it's a relentless job ... so if you're doing it all without a partner, how is it possible to also sustain a relationship with sex and romance? Anita talks with two unpartnered moms about juggling pleasure, dating and parenthood. Meet the guests: - Tara Ilsley is a solo mom of a toddler and a public health …

1
Helicopters, Justice & Magic Tricks?? 49:58

2M ago49:58

49:58

What does serving in the U.S. military while challenging its norms mean? In this episode of Immigrantly, Saadia Khan sits down with Lieutenant Julie Roland, an active-duty naval aviator and law school graduate who advocates for systemic change. Julie takes us behind the scenes of military life, its hierarchies, recruitment strategies, and the chall…

1
‘I’ve Got The Same Thing You Do’: Ehlers-Danlos Across Generations 49:06

2M ago49:06

49:06

Soph Myers-Kelley and his mom, René Myers, have always been close. As of five years ago, they also share a diagnosis: the connective tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Soph and René were diagnosed one year apart – Soph was 25; René was 60. EDS explained symptoms they’d both been experiencing for decades, including waking up with jaw or shoulde…

1
Lost & Found: Search for A Soviet Guardian Angel 1:01:07

2M ago1:01:07

1:01:07

What happens when a family story takes you on an unexpected journey? In this episode of Immigrantly, I sit down with Jake Warren, founder of Message Heard and the creator of Finding Natasha, a profoundly personal podcast about tracking down the woman who saved his mother’s life decades ago in the Soviet Union. Jake’s mother, a young British balleri…

1
Why Is Good Food So Sexy? 49:21

2M ago49:21

49:21

Food and sex have been deeply intertwined in our cultural imagination for millennia. Anita talks with a cultural historian who has combed through centuries of sex and food chronicles to understand what makes that connection so strong. Plus, Puerto Rican chef Manolo López shares a Valentine’s recipe and his favorite sexy food. Meet the guests: - Ra…

1
Birthright, Borders & Bullsh*t! 53:04

2M ago53:04

53:04

This episode is sponsored by Bilt Rewards- go to JoinBilt.com/Immigrantly to get started What happens when a country built by immigrants starts redefining who belongs? In this episode, I sit down with Claudia Yoli Ferla, a Venezuelan-born Latina and the Executive Director of Move Texas to discuss the latest political chaos surrounding immigration, …

1
One Woman's Guide To Divorcing America 48:48

2M ago48:48

48:48

In the hours and days following President Donald Trump’s re-election, online searches about leaving the U.S. surged. Historically, most folks who have considered a move haven’t taken action, but Tina Strawn is an exception. Anita talks to her about why, as a queer Black woman, she left America in 2020 in search of freedom. Tina answers listener's q…

1
Forgotten Stories 51:16

2M ago51:16

51:16

This episode is sponsored by Bilt Rewards- go to JoinBilt.com/Immigrantly to get started Some stories demand to be told. This one, in particular, struck me deeply. I sat down with Nancy Wang, a storyteller, artist, and author of Red Altar, to talk about her ancestors—Chinese immigrants who helped build California’s fishing industry against all odds…

1
(Self) Helped: Inside The Industry That Wants To Change Your Life 35:03

3M ago35:03

35:03

Anita is committed to self-improvement but skeptical of self-help. She brings her qualms and questions to the experts: Kristen Meinzer, a podcaster who has lived by the rules of more than 50 self-help books, and Beth Blum, a scholar who's traced the genre back to its roots. Plus Sondra Rose Marie, a former self-help fan, shares how the industry has…

1
What's Your Legacy? 54:08

3M ago54:08

54:08

This year, we’ve tackled deep emotions and intricate journeys of faith, and today, we’re diving into the profound yet personal concept of legacy. Legacy—it sounds monumental, right? But does it have to be? For me, crafting a legacy sometimes feels like another overwhelming to-do list. Yet, what if the legacy isn’t about grandeur but embracing our s…

1
Tingled: Your Brain And Heart On ASMR 36:25

3M ago36:25

36:25

Anita finds a lot of ASMR videos to be deeply relaxing, but she doesn't get the well-hyped/well-documented 'brain tingles.' Why? She puts the question to a physiologist who's been exploring the science of ASMR for the past decade. Plus, she meets an ASMR artist who's entranced hundreds of thousands of people with her medical role play videos and a …

1
When a Christian Minister and a Muslim Podcaster Walk Into a Studio… 52:29

3M ago52:29

52:29

Talking about religion makes me uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because I practice a faith that’s often misunderstood in this country. But in this episode, I decided to face that discomfort head-on. I sat down with Minister Lydia Sohn, a progressive Christian leader and writer, to have an honest, vulnerable, and surprisingly fun conversation about faith,…

1
Offline Lives of Online Sex Workers 48:44

3M ago48:44

48:44

How does selling sexy online affect your offline relationship with sex and your body? Anita poses that question to two creators: Paris Bush, who in four years on Only Fans has become one of the site’s top earners, and Maxim Lupin, who says that online sex work is the profession that best supports his mental and physical health. Meet the guests: - P…

1
Immigrantly 2025: Working through the Arc of the Emotions with Anita Rao 52:04

3M ago52:04

52:04

This episode is sponsored by Bilt Rewards-go to JoinBilt.com/Immigrantly to get started Start the year with powerful insights! In this episode, I reflect on Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire (catchy or cop-out?) and chat with Anita Rao, host of Embodied. We explore working through emotions instead of discharging them and building emotional inte…

1
Boomers On Psychedelics 49:21

3M ago49:21

49:21

It's been half a century since the psychedelic era, but some baby boomers are returning to the drugs of their youth — not for rock and roll, but to confront aging. Writer Abbie Rosner re-experienced mushrooms in her 60s, and she tells Anita about her subsequent investigation into why other boomers are taking psychedelics to grapple with aging. Plus…

1
The Art of Giving Good Advice 49:21

4M ago49:21

49:21

There are few things that are certain about 2025, but one of them is that at some point, you’ll be called upon for advice. Anita talks to Meghan Keane, the founder of NPR's Life Kit and author of “Party of One,” about how to give good advice. Meghan shares her personal journey to striking the balance between overthinking, venting and actually getti…

1
Traveled: The Lives Of Third Culture Kids 31:03

4M ago31:03

31:03

As a child of two immigrants, Anita has a tumultuous relationship with the question: "Where are you from?" So, too, do many third culture kids — people who spend a significant number of their developmental years living in places that are not their parents' homelands. She talks with two third culture kids — one 35 and one 12 — and their moms about g…

1
Ponchos, Panther, and Purpose: Bambadjan Bamba Redefines Belonging 53:03

4M ago53:03

53:03

Can you believe it? This is the final Immigrantly episode of 2024! As I reflect on this incredible year, I’m grateful for the meaningful stories and conversations we’ve shared. Together, we’ve leaned into curiosity, allyship, and learning, and I can’t wait to bring you even more inspiring voices in 2025. Mark your calendars—our first episode of the…

1
BONUS: Food, Friends and Cultural Roots 19:26

4M ago19:26

19:26

Anita hands over the mic to Embodied’s intern, Nina Scott. After listening to our episode about food and cultural identity from a couple of weeks ago, Nina started talking to her friends about how their family recipes help them feel connected to their heritage. She shares some of those conversations and reflections. Meet the guests: - Sari Ghirmay-…

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Anita Rao Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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