An honest exploration of grief, creativity, and community with the visionary behind Women Who Podcast magazine—covering storytelling, anticipatory grief, and the movement to amplify women’s voices in podcasting.

In this conversation, Nina Rodriguez sits down with Kathy Barron, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Women Who Podcast Magazine, to explore the power of women’s voices, the complexity of grief, and the courage it takes to tell honest stories.

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Video available here

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Kathy shares the origin story behind the magazine: a space born from her desire to see women not just represented in podcasting, but truly celebrated. As the conversation unfolds, Kathy opens up about her own relationship to loss, including the quiet, complicated ache of anticipatory grief as she navigates her mother’s aging, as well as moments of soul-level connection she feels with farming communities and Mexican culture.

Nina and Kathy explore how grief shapes identity, creativity, and the way we move through the world. They talk about the tension between what we hold privately and what we offer publicly, the healing potential of artistic expression, and the moments of clarity that come from living inside “the dash”—the space between birth and death.

Kathy also reflects on the evolving landscape of podcasting, from the pressures of imposter syndrome to the new possibilities—and challenges—posed by AI. She offers grounded, generous advice for aspiring women podcasters seeking connection, mentorship, and confidence in a space that hasn’t always made room for them.

This episode is a reminder that storytelling is community-building, grief is deeply personal but never solitary, and women’s voices deserve to take up space—loudly, boldly, and without apology.

Key Takeaways

• Women Who Podcast magazine amplifies and uplifts women’s voices across the industry.
• Community is essential for creative collaboration, support, and sustainability.
• Grief manifests differently for everyone, shaped by personal and generational experiences.
• Artistic expression—writing, podcasting, humor—can deepen connection and understanding.
• Anticipatory grief involves mourning who someone once was while caring for who they are now.
• Hard conversations about mortality, aging, and loss are uncomfortable—but necessary.
• Sarcasm can be a tool for truth-telling and authenticity in storytelling.
• Aspiring podcasters benefit from mentorship, collaboration, and supportive networks.
• Critical thinking is more important than ever in a rapidly shifting tech landscape.
• Reclaiming creativity in the age of AI matters for podcasters, writers, and artists alike.

Guest: Kathy Barron

• Founder & Editor-in-Chief
• @womenwhopodcastmagazine
• womenwhopodcastmag.com

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack
• Grief Tending Toolkit

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