The Daily - January 29, 2020 - 40

How I Got Here
A L P I A N

Massimo
Alpian's
life journey
started on
the trails.

The Subtle
Shift

From finding love and coming out in the urban
jungle to climbing the Himalaya, one marketing
guru finds his space in the outdoor industry.
By Massimo Alpian
THE HOT SUMMER SUN BEAT DOWN ON MY BACK, AND THE HUMID, SALTY

ocean air carried the weight of the sun's rays around me. I was in high school,
14, a runner, and I was closeted. My main outlets for my hidden truth during
my teenage years were school, running track, and now the new trail by my
childhood home that I discovered on this sweltering Northeastern day.
No one ever questioned who I was. But my secret ate me alive, day in and
day out. Coming from a traditional immigrant family, I never considered
coming out as a reality. But the day I discovered that trail, I knew it would
save my life. Or perhaps my resilience would. Or both. That trail was where
I could escape: to write, to daydream of a life I could be free in-some day
in the city lights of Manhattan not too far away. I would run and train on

/ OUTDOOR + SNOW SHOW 2020

that trail, cry there, scream there,
and connect with nature. My first
memories of being connected to
who I really am are on that trail,
with the earth beneath my feet. It
was a place where I could breathe.
No judgment, no fear.
Ten years later, I found love in
the big city and was out of the closet-though not without many hurdles. Even with my urban lifestyle,
I tried to find grounding moments
in nature whenever I could.
When I finished graduate school,
I began a career at the United Nations. My work took me to various
regions around the world, including
sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. At 29, I had
a good gig. But the financial crisis
of the late 2000s hit everyone hard,
and there was no budget left for my
work. The news came quietly and
unexpectedly, leaving me feeling
lost and unsettled.
WE OFTEN ASSOCIATE PIVOTAL

moments in our lives with grandeur: weddings, graduations, birthdays. But many of these moments
arrive subtly. This was that moment. I realized I wanted more-I
wanted to switch careers and move
West. My husband wanted the
same. We spent a month climbing
in the Himalaya and returned back
to New York ready to leave our life
and start a new one in Colorado.
Standing on a 21,000-foot peak
shadowed by Lhotse will do that to
you. I moved first and landed a gig

at REI. My husband soon followed,
and we began our new life.
My first big break came when I
walked into the offices of Dynafit
and met two amazing humans.
Eric "Hende" Henderson and Scott
Knight saw a kid from NYC with
a passion for the outdoor industry, and they took a chance on me
and my dreams of a marketing
career. I've had the opportunity
to build my career surrounded by
and representing agencies, brands,
and organizations that resonate
with my values: diversity, equity,
inclusivity, and sustainability. I'm
grateful to be a voice in the room
that didn't exist in recent history,
calling for change and progress so
that all voices are being heard-or
offering a different worldview
as a multilingual marketer from
the LGBTQ+ community and an
immigrant family. I'm grateful to
keep learning on this journey.
Since that trail opened by
my childhood home roughly 23
years ago, I've had the privilege
to see and experience trails and
mountains around the globe. Yet,
whenever I visit back East, I find
the time to head to that old trail for
a run or a moment of mindfulness.
The "free" adult I dreamed of is
who I've become today. I'm here
to continue finding allies to keep
building that "trail" for an industry
that represents everyone.
Massimo Alpian is PR Director at
OutsidePR.

I'M GRATEFUL TO BE A VOICE IN THE ROOM
THAT DIDN'T EXIST IN RECENT HISTORY,
CALLING FOR CHANGE AND PROGRESS
SO THAT ALL VOICES ARE BEING HEARD.

CO U R T E SY M AS S I M O A L P I A N

M A S S I M O

The Daily - January 29, 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Daily - January 29, 2020