Olympic Figure Skating Gold Medalist Alysa Liu waves to the crowd during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall in Oakland, California on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
If it’s what Alysa Liu had wanted, the city of Oakland would have done everything in its power to create the largest hero’s welcome parade possible down Broadway and Telegraph in celebration of their hometown Olympic champion. But that’s not who the 20-year-old is.
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Thousands in the city gathered on a clear, sunny Thursday afternoon to cheer for the Bay Area-born figure skater, who made history in February when she became the first American woman to win an individual figure skating Olympic gold medal in 24 years. However, her hope for this event, a “Celebration Rally” in front of City Hall, was to share the spotlight with Oakland’s community and culture.
Liu has ascended to international stardom in the wake of her Winter Games success, thanks in part to her affable personality, her iconic hairstyle and the journey she took to reach her competitive heights. Her local ties would have made her a community darling on their own, having gotten her start in her sport at the Oakland Ice Center and attended the Oakland School for the Arts. What’s really made her a hometown fan favorite has been the love she’s shown to Oakland throughout the Winter Games, and in the press tour that immediately followed her on-ice success.
Students, many from the Oakland School for the Arts, cheer during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Kehlani performs during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Fans hold signs honoring Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
“The fact that she really wanted to uplift the city really speaks volumes, not just to her, but also around the community that raised her,” said Aimee Eng, a fifth-generation Oaklander attending the rally with her kids. “Because Oakland is all about community, it’s about community and diversity. That’s what keeps us grounded here after all these years.”
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Liu is authentically Oakland, and that genuine love for the city, and the Bay Area in general, shone through even before she took the stage in Frank Ogawa Plaza. The DJ blasted Bay Area classic after Bay Area classic through the loudspeakers as students from OSA filled in the bowl seating of the rally’s setup, and danced along to the local anthems. Behind the stage, street dance team TURFinc warmed up alongside mascots for the San Jose Sharks – Sharkie wore his Alysa Liu wig – Oakland Ballers and Golden State Valkyries. W. Kamau Bell chatted with some fans nearby. Rally emcee Sway Calloway, who grew up in Oakland and now hosts radio show “Sway in the Morning,” then took the stage to introduce Rep. Lateefah Simon and Mayor Barbara Lee, who both gave speeches.
Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu (center) holds the key to the City of Oakland, while standing next to musician Kehlani (left) and Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Attendees cheer during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
(Left to right) Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu and Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi high-five during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Liu arrived onstage after Lee gave brief remarks about how the 20-year-old’s story can teach the next generation that their dreams can begin in Oakland. The instant her triple-halo hairstyle bounced its way onto the stage, nearly every one of the thousands of spectators in attendance lifted up their phone to get a shot of the Olympic champion. Liu thanked the crowd for her support in a short speech that lasted a little over one minute before the mayor handed her a key to the city, and she ceded the spotlight back to her community – literally moving away from the beaming sunlight underneath an umbrella on the elevated speaker’s stage.
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“Now, we about to party,” Calloway declared.
The festivities began with a routine by U.S. Shaolin Kung Fu lion dancers on a lower performance stage, followed shortly by a speech from a local high schooler, who talked about the ways Liu inspired her. It was a sentiment that other attendees in the crowd shared.
“I love her energy,” Yasmin, a 20-year-old from Fremont, said. “I think after watching the Olympics for the first time in a while, she’s actually one of the people who makes me feel comfortable being myself and she makes me want to be confident. She brings that energy on around the world.”
A U.S. Shaolin Kung Fu dancer performs while Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu looks on during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Elle Fenno, 11, holds up a sign honoring Alysa Liu during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Olympic figure skating gold medalist Alysa Liu holds up her gold medals won at the 2026 Winter Olympics during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Bay Area rappers G-Eazy, P-Lo and Jwalt came out to give a brief shout-out to Liu and the city. Each name got the crowd more and more excited, so to keep the hype going, Calloway suggested Liu break out one of the catchphrases she dropped in Milan. In another showing of her authenticity, she dropped the lone f-bomb of the rally with, “Y’all better turn the f-k up!”
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In a press conference before the rally, Liu shared that she didn’t want to know everything that was going to happen later in the day. One of the surprises was a Nardwuar-style “I have a gift for you” session where the Warriors, Valkyries, Ballers and Oakland Roots each gave Liu some gear from their respective organizations with her name on it. There was also a brief community-sourced Q&A section between Calloway and Liu that led to the big surprise that drew an emotional scream from the Olympic champion: a Kehlani concert.
Kehlani introduces Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Attendees cheer during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
The Fremont High School Drumline performs during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
The Bay Area artist, and fellow OSA alum, performed her hit “Folded.” Liu immediately rushed down to the lower stage to get a better view, but once again, she let the spotlight remain on someone else. Her name may have been on multiple banners and signs throughout the plaza, but at that moment, she looked more than happy to not be the star of the show. She was just another Oakland resident in the crowd, singing along to the lyrics of one of her favorite artists.
A group of Alysa Liu fans, including Aimee Eng (third from right), hold signs during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Alysa Liu (left) answers a question from MC Sway Calloway during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu holds a “The Town” Golden State Warriors jersey awarded to her during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
An attendee holds a poster during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu (second from right) joins the TURFinc dance performance during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Fans hold signs during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
(Left to right) Daisy Johnston, 17, and Naturelle Henninger, 18, hold up a sign honoring Alysa Liu during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee introduces Olympic figure skating gold medalist Alysa Liu during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Olympic figure skating gold medalist Alysa Liu holds up the ceremonial key to Oakland during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
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This article originally published at Alysa Liu said no to a parade. She wanted to party with the people in Oakland..