Who Is EARTHMOVERS? Why Subscribe?
EARTHMOVERS is created by Alison Mariella Désir, Stefanie Flippin, and Verna NezBegay Volker. We are also the co-hosts of the EARTHMOVERS podcast. Our focus: reclaiming the narrative in the trail and outdoor space. We are athletes, community builders, racial equity advocates, and friends.
Here, just like in our podcast conversations, we aim to make this a space that is inclusive, elevating the diverse voices of humans in the trail space, and continuing to provide more windows (to learn more about those different from us) and mirrors (to provide representation to those who don’t often see themselves represented out on the trails or in media).
Our free subscription gives you access to our EARTHMOVER of the Month posts.
Paid subscribers get full access to our weekly posts: You can expect topics such as conversations on current events and how these triangulate with the trail space; coaches corner and training/nutrition advice; ask us anything; updates on past guests; what we are currently reading and watching; original interviews and profiles; and stories from the community that piqued our interest.
About EARTHMOVERS
EARTHMOVERS is a trail and outdoor podcast and media outlet reclaiming the narrative by centering the experiences of people of color–with stories, insights, and wisdom for everyone. We are in this together.
Conversations and content celebrate the growth, joy, and healing of getting in nature, and the challenging issues around exclusion and discrimination—as told by those who know from experience. Expect a vibe that is honest, casual, serious, fun, inspirational—and groundbreaking.
With EARTHMOVERS, expand your understanding of the outdoor trail and running experience. Hosts Désir, Flippin, and Volker are adventurers and runners, leading equity advocates—and friends. Special guests are athletes, industry insiders, and community builders. They all share a passion for running and know the life-changing power of experiencing the outdoors.
You can discover more on the podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast app, like Spotify, Apple, and PocketCasts. See us on YouTube. You can start here, with our first episode:
Meet the EARTHMOVERS Hosts/Writers
Alison Mariella Désir
Désir is a runner and mountain climber, mother, and activist from New York City, now living in Seattle. She has founded numerous influential running organizations, and she is an unapologetically straightforward communicator with a passion for movement, mental health, and racial equity. Among her many notable accomplishments, Désir is the author of the groundbreaking book Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport that Wasn’t Built for Us. She is also the host of the award winning PBS TV show Out and Back with Alison Mariella Désir.
Désir discovered running during a time of deep depression, and experienced the transformative power of this simple movement. She has completed several marathons and trail races, and in 2024 she summited Mount Kilimanjaro. Désir has dedicated her life to sharing the power of running, and advocating for underrepresented communities in the running world, especially Black women.
Verna NezBegay Volker
Volker is a runner, mother, and equity activist from the Navajo Nation. She was raised in New Mexico, and now lives in Minnesota. Volker is the founder of Native Women Run (NWR), an organization that began as a virtual community on Instagram and is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. NWR supports and highlights the journeys of native women who run, regularly demonstrating how running has strong cultural ties in native communities, as a healing, spiritual practice.
A major focus of NWR is creating racing opportunities for its members: NWR regularly works with and sends teams of native women to races across the US, including the Chicago, New York City, and Boston marathons, as well as numerous trail events.
Volker’s own running journey began as a way to regain health and lose weight after pregnancy. She has since run many road events, including several marathons and numerous trail races, up to 94 miles. Volker is particularly passionate about elevating the voices and strengthening the communities of native women through running.
Stefanie Flippin
Flippin is a professional ultra trail runner, running coach, and equity activist, originally from California, now living in the Front Range of Colorado. Flippin is also a foot and ankle surgeon alongside her husband, with a passion for treating athletes.
Flippin started racing competitively later in life, after 18 years of seriously dedicating herself to ballet. She discovered a love and talent for ultra distances. Among her many accomplishments in the sport, Flippin was the 2021 USATF 100-mile road champion and course record holder; she’s the 6th fastest all-time American woman at the 100-mile distance. Flippin’s passion for the sport, along with her experiences as an Asian American woman, led to her advocacy work.
Flippin is the co-host of the Making Strides podcast, with Carolyn Su, and she also works with high-profile brands like Lululemon and GU to advocate for diversity in trail running. Flippin is passionate about increasing representation for all people of color in distance running, especially women.
