Hi friends! Welcome to the Out & Back newsletter. I’m so excited that you are joining me here. My hope is that through this newsletter you learn more about me, the fantastic guests I have on my show and the history of the outdoors in the PNW, and hear some fun behind-the-scenes stories that you won’t get anywhere else.
This story is adapted from the Out & Back newsletter. If you’re not a subscriber, you can sign up here.
First things first — many people don’t know the story of how I ended up as the host of Out & Back and it is a story that I love to tell. I met Sarah Menzies, director of original productions at Cascade PBS, in October 2020 when we were both on a panel that followed a virtual, Zoom screening of a film Sarah had directed. It was still the early days of the pandemic and online screenings and panels were a way of life. I remember the event going really well and then going about my evening and life without giving it too much additional thought.
In January of 2021, my partner and I decided that we would move to Seattle. The decision came pretty quickly, though we had been considering moving since July of the previous year. Once my husband and I both secured jobs in Seattle, we did the unimaginable and left all of our friends and community in New York. Nine months later, I got an email from Sarah Menzies, who had recently taken on a new role at Cascade PBS. I’ll never forget the subject line of that first email: “A gal from a panel saying hi!”. Sarah was hoping to talk to me about my work and find out whether I’d be interested in hosting a video series for the station.
You can imagine my surprise, joy and fear at the question! I decided to say YES to the opportunity, never having formally done any television* but with a long history of community building, storytelling and time spent in front of large crowds of people (sometimes a few hundred) looking to go for a run.
Within a few months of Sarah’s initial outreach, I got back to her with an idea for a show and that show is the show that you know and love, Out & Back with Alison Mariella Désir. Over the past five years, I have learned SO much about production and scripting and being a host and I like to think we get better every year (I hope you agree)!
I love everything about the show, from the guests I get to feature to the people I get to make the show with. And that’s the story of how I ended up here!
*That’s not entirely accurate. I actually did have one experience being on TV prior to this and that was when I appeared on Sesame Street for PBS as a child! I have the video tapes somewhere in storage that I hope I’ll one day be able to digitize
Behind the Scenes
The first episode I ever shot for the show was in July of 2022. This episode featured Chelsea Murphy and actually ended up being the final episode of Season 1. I met Bryce, the director of photography for my series, that morning when he jumped in my car to film me driving up to Leavenworth, Washington. This seems like both yesterday and a million years ago.
Learn more about Chelsea by watching that episode HERE.
Chelsea is on a mission to create a better, more inclusive outdoor culture for her mixed children. Her mothering philosophy centers spending at least 30 minutes outside each day. Born in San Diego, California and raised in Tacoma, she has always had a connection with nature and the outdoors.
Recap
This past weekend, I got to attend the 63rd Annual NW Emmy awards in Seattle as a nominee for Out & Back! This marked my third nomination, and second time attending the NW Emmys. While I didn’t bring home a trophy this year, it truly is an honor to be recognized and it was a beautiful night celebrating with my colleagues. Next year is my year!
Get Outdoors
This weekend, I am hosting the second annual We Out Here Trail Festival on June 13th in St. Edwards State Park. This trail race is designed with first-timers in mind: if you’ve never run a trail race before but have been itching to try one, this race is for you! In 2025, 66% of participants identified as first-time trail runners.
We Out Here Trail Fest provides an opportunity for runners of all levels, from new athletes to seasoned elites, to compete in a fun, friendly, and welcoming trail event. This event has been thoughtfully designed to reflect the diverse community we envision for the future of the sport.
Registration is still open and I’d love to see you there.
Okay! That’s it for the first issue. I’d love to hear from you — what kind of things do you want to read about here? Please be in touch and let’s keep the conversation going.
See you outside,
Alison
