The Sneaker Soiree will kick-off with a cocktail hour and activities, followed by dinner and program, where you will hear Girls on the Run stories from girls, coaches and volunteers in our community. As we near the finish line (end of event), we’ll wrap up with raffle drawings, a paddle raise and time to connect. 

We are excited to welcome Alison Mariella Désir as our keynote speaker for our Sneaker Soirée this year!

Alison is multi-talented: a founder, a doer, an activist, a connector, and an unapologetically straight-forward communicator with a passion for community health. Alison came to running organically, following a period of depression, when a Black friend and role model trained for and completed a marathon.

Alison is the author of Running While Black, the tv host and producer of Out & Back w/ Alison Mariella Désir (now streaming) and the host of Out & Back’s companion podcast. She is the founder of Harlem Run, an NYC-based running movement, and Run 4 All Women, which has raised over $150,000 for Planned Parenthood and $270,000 for Black Voters Matter. Alison is co-founder and former chair of the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, a nonprofit that unites the running industry to provide resources, measure progress, and hold the industry accountable to equitable employment, leadership, and ownership positions and improve inclusion, visibility, and access for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. She also sits on the board of &Mother and is an Athlete Ambassador for Athlete Ally.