Everyone Outside with Jas Maisonet

Out & Back with Alison Mariella Désir

QPOC Hikers started as a place for people to bond over the outdoors. It’s become so much more.

The outdoors transformed Jas Maisonet’s life. But when they went looking for people to join them on outdoor adventures, they ran into a problem. As a non-binary person of color, they had trouble meeting people outside of happy hour meet-ups.

To meet more queer people interested in the outdoors, Maisonet started QPOC Hikers in 2019. Now they arrange outdoor events year round, from birding, to hiking, to snowshoeing.

For this episode of the Out & Back podcast, host Alison Mariella Desir talks to Maisonet about their personal history and growing organization. Desir also heads out for a day of bouldering, her first ever, with Maisonet as guide.

Along the way Desir learned that QPOC Hikers is about much more than hiking. The organization provides queer people of color with a place to share stories and inspiration.

Before listening, we suggest you watch the episode about QPOC Hikers here.

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Credits

Host: Alison Mariella Désir

Producer: Brooklyn Jamerson-Flowers

Executive producer: Mark Baumgarten

Audio production: Bryce Adolphson, Sarah Hall

Audio support: Resti Bagcal, Seth Halleran