Olympic gold medalist and hometown hero Alysa Liu is headed back to Oakland next week for a rally and celebration in her honor.
The 20-year-old cemented her place as an East Bay icon when she won gold in both the women’s singles and team ice skating events at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy in February.
On Thursday, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said Liu will be celebrated at a free noontime rally at City Hall’s Frank Ogawa Plaza on March 12.
“This rally is a celebration not just of an extraordinary champion, but of everything our community represents: grit, excellence, and the belief that Oakland always punches above its weight,” Lee said. “Come out and celebrate one of our own.”
Liu was born in Clovis and spent much of her life in Richmond and Oakland, where she trains and where she attended the Oakland School for the Arts.
Since her Olympic victory and her international shoutout to Oakland on live television, the town has been abuzz with feel-good Alysa Liu vibes, with people gathering on Telegraph Avenue at a newly painted mural of her holding a gold medal to take selfies and chat about the local-girl-made-good.
The vibes are so good, in fact, that the City Hall celebration is expected to be popular and, while free, requires reservations, which people can get online at www.visitoakland.com/alysa-liu.
Liu is scheduled to give some remarks at the event, which is billed as family-friendly, alcohol-free, and will include food trucks.
Security will be tight and attendees should give themselves a little extra time to account for security screenings. Gates open at 9 a.m.
“Alysa Liu is Oakland — her drive, her brilliance, her joy,” Lee said. “Watching her claim gold for our city and our country filled every Oaklander with pride, and we are overjoyed to welcome her home.”