Allison Rodriguez, a long-time staple of Valley morning television, is joining Emily Pritchard on the Today in AZ anchor desk next month, along with Krystle Henderson doing weather and Stella Sun keeping track of traffic.
Rodriguez’s Arizona ties stretch from the Valley all the way back to southwestern Arizona. She worked as a reporter and anchor for ABC15 in Phoenix from 2013 to earlier this year. She began her journalism career in 2011 at KYMA, the NBC affiliate in Yuma.
A native of the Chicagoland area, Rodriguez holds a bachelors’ of arts in journalism from Columbia College in Chicago.
We sat down to ask our new colleague some questions.
How did you get into journalism?
Growing up, I knew that I got “talks a lot, very friendly” on report cards. And so getting to meet people and talk to them every day, the fact that you can make a living doing that, was mind-blowing to me. Going through high school and my early, early college years, I wasn't really sure. I just took everything. I took every class I could think of, more statistics and chemistry. And then I took some improv classes. And then I took world religion studies, a lot of different justice classes, trying everything. And when it when it came time to choose, someone said, “What about journalism? It might encompass all the things you like." And I just thought, you know, kind of "light bulb."
Do you remember your first professional story?
Well, that would be in Yuma. I remember that it was August of 2011. And I certainly remember that it was hot, and I'd never been somewhere that it was still so hot, even when the sun went down. So that was crazy to me, because in the Midwest, you'd eventually have that cool air even though it's humid. But here it was still like 100 overnight, and that blew my mind. But what I do remember story wise? Yuma was my first market and everybody was very friendly and it made a a really good impression on me. And I just thought everyone was so nice. So willing to chat. It just felt like a big small town.
What’s an important story you’ve done?
So one of the most important stories I feel that I've done is, recently, I did a story about some of the historic Arizona barrios that were erased or moved, because of the expansion of the airport. And of course, that happened a long time ago. But after I did that story, I had so many people reach out to me, just saying, ‘Hey, that used to be my neighborhood, that's where that's the church where my parents got married, that's where I was baptized, and people don't really talk about it anymore.” And I know, it meant a lot to them to feel like that was being remembered. And so to bring it to today and the work that all the people who used to live there and remember are doing to try and preserve that history, and those legacies.
Is that why you do journalism?
Absolutely. That's the biggest part in letting people know that we care that and that they’re seen. And just getting to talk to people and ask them what motivates them, what drives them, why they stand up for certain things. Other people stand on the opposite side of that and there's a reason for both of those positions. And I think if you can help facilitate that conversation that almost brings communities together in a way.
Let’s play speed round. Desert sunrise or desert sunset?
Sunrise
D-backs, Cardinals or Suns?
Suns
Charles Barkley or Kevin Durant?
Kevin Durant
Favorite food?
Wow, you’re really going to make me choose? Tacos because they can be so versatile. I can put anything in them.
What's one thing the audience doesn't know about you that they should?
This is going to sound cheesy, but family is the most important. It's where I operate. Every decision I make comes from that place.
Netflix or Prime?
Netflix.
How do we feel about Ted Lasso?
Sad it’s ending. To be honest, I'm watching Succession right now on HBO Max. And loving it. I love to hate Logan Roy. He's a very confusing villain.
Favorite book?
The Giving Tree (by Shel Silverstein). You interpret it so many different ways, depending on how old you are reading it.
Night out or night in?
Night in. With good pizza.
Favorite pizza place?
Pomo. .. But I’m from the Midwest, so if I’m going to go do deep dish, it’s Lou Malnati’s.
Favorite place in Arizona? I feel like at a like any kind of paleta, like a Mexican ice cream shop. Because it's so hot for so long. And there's just nothing better than getting one of those ice cold like popsicles.
Is there a favorite secret place?
And it’s not really a secret place, but one of my favorite places to walk though is Tempe Town Lake, especially in the morning when the sun is hitting the waves. I don't know. It's very magical. Very peaceful. Very serene.
Personal motto?
Do all things with love. You can't go wrong with that. Whether you cook with love, whether you give advice from love, you really can't go wrong. I'm sure someone will find a way for it to go wrong. But if that's where you're operating from, you're going to be fine.