{"id":217190,"date":"2026-03-12T23:30:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T23:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/217190\/"},"modified":"2026-03-12T23:30:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T23:30:16","slug":"how-oakland-celebrated-its-american-hero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/217190\/","title":{"rendered":"How Oakland celebrated its\u00a0 \u2018American hero\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alysa Liu has been on the road, from Milan to the \u201cToday\u201d show (opens in new tab)<\/a> in New York to Paris Fashion Week (opens in new tab)<\/a>, but on Thursday, she was back home in Oakland for a sunshine-filled party in her honor. And it seemed like the whole city turned out at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall to celebrate the Olympic gold medalist.<\/p>\n

Ice skating legend Kristi Yamaguchi was there. Kehlani, one of Oakland\u2019s biggest musicians, showed up for a surprise performance that blew away the crowd. Students from the Oakland School of the Arts, alma mater to Liu and Kehlani, screamed in celebration.<\/p>\n

One after another, Bay Area celebrities saluted Liu for her determination, hard work, and Bay Area brand of unabashed joy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank you so much for showing up and showing out. This is craaaaaazy,\u201d Liu told the crowd. \u201cI see so many people! I love Oakland! I\u2019ve been here all my life!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A\u201cMy environment did shape me, because this is such a great place,\u201d Liu said of Oakland. | Source: Miles Cull for The Standard<\/p>\n

Liu\u00a0remained humble, attentive and kind as she watched her hometown lose its collective mind over her. At one point, during a dance performance by U.S. Shaolin Kung Fu, an Oakland group, some students began screaming and waving at Liu, who kindly directed their attention to the dancers instead. Her character was on full display. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe is fearless, she is focused, and she is fully herself,\u201d Mayor Barbara Lee said, presenting Liu with a key to the city, just a few blocks away from the Oakland Ice Center<\/a> where Liu trained her whole life. <\/p>\n

Kehlani performs at Alysa Liu\u2019s rally | Video by Michelle Daher<\/p>\n

\u201cShe grew up here in our town, and now the entire world knows her name!\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, Liu still seemed somewhat surprised that she\u2019s become an accidental role model to so many.<\/p>\n

\u201cRepresentation matters so much,\u201d she said during a press conference ahead of the main event. \u201cWe don\u2019t really realize it. Having one person is sometimes all you need and I\u2019m honored and grateful that I can be that for some people.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of those people at the party was Everlee, 7, who wore a T-shirt that said: \u201cJust a girl who loves ice skating.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cShe gives me my ice skating career and my goals,\u201d Everlee said, proudly holding a poster with a photograph of herself and Liu, taken two years earlier at the Oakland Ice Center. \u201cShe works hard, she\u2019s talented!\u201d<\/p>\n

Many revelers arrived hours before the celebration to snag good seats. Tons carried signs they had lovingly made for Liu. And a dedicated few paid homage to Liu\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

Jennifer Le of Oakland was one of four women in matching wigs featuring the skater\u2019s signature raccoon stripes. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe makes me very proud!\u201d Le said. \u201cShe brought so much joy to the world!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"YoungSource: Miles Cull for The Standard\"FourSource: Miles Cull for The Standard<\/p>\n

Liu\u2019s hair stylist, Corrina Hernandez, 51, owner of Pony Studios Co. (opens in new tab)<\/a> in Oakland, said that there\u2019s been an uptick in demand from customers who want to replicate Liu\u2019s coiffure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had someone ask for the color, and the stripes, which is so her thing!\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cI just had someone say they just wanted bangs: \u2018I want exactly what you gave to Alysa!\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n

Party attendees said they were inspired by Liu\u2019s authenticity. <\/p>\n

\u201cComing from a humble background \u2014\u00a0she\u2019s not rich! My kids used to skate at Oakland Ice Center. It\u2019s just amazing,\u201d said a resident named Iris. \u201cI\u2019m just so proud of her and her attitude about it. She retired and came back and is just here to have fun!\u201d<\/p>\n

Liu is being celebrated around the city. Children\u2019s Fairyland on the shores of Lake Merritt will be renamed as \u201cFairyliu (opens in new tab)<\/a>\u201d for the rest of the month. Fenton\u2019s Creamery has created a new flavor, \u201cAlysa\u2019s Gold (opens in new tab)<\/a>,\u201d which has crushed Golden Oreos in a caramel base, finished with a caramel swirl. The shop also has promised Liu that she can have free ice cream for life.<\/p>\n

\"TwoCarol and Cherie Finular take a selfie during the celebration. | Source: Miles Cull for The Standard<\/p>\n

And Liu\u2019s distinctive grin (opens in new tab)<\/a> has been captured in a mural in north Oakland \u2014\u00a0replacing an image of Klay Thompson, who left the Warriors in 2024.<\/p>\n

As the celebration wound down on Thursday, fans lingered in the sunshine, their own grins wide across their faces. They weren\u2019t ready to stop celebrating Liu just yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a young sister who has shown us what it means to live life with excellence and beauty in her own terms,\u201d Rep. Lateefah Simon, a Democrat from Oakland,\u00a0said during the event. \u201cShe is an American hero!\u201d<\/p>\n