© 2026
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scam Advisory: We have been made aware that an online entity is posing as Joe Donahue to invite authors and other creatives onto our radio shows. The scammers then attempt to charge guests an appearance fee for exposure/publicity.
Please note: WAMC does not charge guests to appear on the station and any email about appearing on a WAMC program will come from a wamc.org email address.

51% #1783: Woman vs. Wild

On this week’s 51%, we speak with science journalist and Brave the Wild River author Melissa Sevigny about the two women who risked their lives to botanize the Grand Canyon in the 1930s. Our associate producer, Jody Cowan, also reports back on an interesting art project showcased at the 2nd annual Soil Fest in New York, and we hear from mountaineer Jenn Drummond, who recently became the first woman to scale all seven second summits.

————

Guests: Melissa Sevigny, science journalist with KNAU Arizona Public Radio, and author of Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon; Jenn Drummond, mountaineer

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Our producer and host is Jesse King. Our associate producer is Jody Cowan, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

51%
Jesse King is the host of WAMC's national program on women's issues, "51%," and the station's former Hudson Valley bureau chief. She has also produced episodes of the WAMC podcast "A New York Minute In History."
One of the newest additions to the WAMC team, Jody Cowan has a naturally curious approach to media production and strong passion for story telling. Jody's work is currently showcased on the shows 51% and The Best of Our Knowledge.