Joel Savary on diversifying skating

[Wyliefan]

Tonight Fox 5 DC did a piece on local coach Joel Savary (older brother of Emanuel) and his foundation Diversify Ice, which seeks to encourage minority kids to take up skating. There's a very short clip on Joel's Facebook page. If I can find the full-length video, I'll post it. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=120943202730642&id=100044448870970

The foundation is doing a fundraiser in Silver Spring, Md., on January 11: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6lAC2gpi-n/?igshid=101sghq9mx83

Additionally, Joel has written a book (also coming on January 11) that can be pre-ordered here: WHY BLACK AND BROWN KIDS DON'T FIGURE SKATE: An autobiographical discourse on the disparities of race in figure skating. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082S6KK6T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_I2sdEb4CW7GWK

 

[Sylvia]

The foundation is doing a fundraiser in Silver Spring, Md., on January 11: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6lAC2gpi-n/?igshid=101sghq9mx83

Direct link to ticket info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skate-raiser-fundraiser-on-ice-tickets-85411904305

Advanced (early bird) ticket prices are $25. Advanced ticket sales ends Jan 6.

Tickets at the door will be $30 and must be bought online or on your mobile device.

Official website:

Diversify Ice Fellowship & Foundation (DIFF), Be DIFFerent - Skate!

 

[caseyedwards]

Time for more debi’s

 

[soogar]

I think it’s interesting that France has the most black skaters on its team. Canada has also had a diverse group of skaters over the years. I wonder how much that has to do with the costs. The minorities referred to in the title of his book do not include Asians and most of these kids have excelled in sports where they receive free coaching and training in high school.

 

[Sylvia]

The foundation is doing a fundraiser in Silver Spring, Md., on January 11: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6lAC2gpi-n/?igshid=101sghq9mx83

Today is the last day to buy tickets online for $25:

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skate-raiser-fundraiser-on-ice-tickets-85411904305

 

[aftershocks]

Time for more debi’s

Nope, not 'debi's.' Debi Thomas is an individual athlete of color who was special in her own right. It's just past time for athletes of unique and varied backgrounds to take part in and contribute to the sport of figure skating in more numbers.

Thanks for sharing this news, Sylvia. Previously, I believe there was a troupe of skaters of color who briefly toured together some years ago, in addition to that group of athletes there's Brownbody, a troupe of skaters/dancers from the Twin Cities who were reported about last year:

Black culture takes the ice with Twin Cities skating troupe Brownbody

Modern dance meets African-American culture — on skates — in the work of Twin Cities troupe Brownbody.

www.startribune.com

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Elite sport is such a crap shoot. There are so many variables to determine success.

 

[Sylvia]

Highlights from the Jan. 11th fundraiser event:

Diversify Ice Foundation aims to bring diversity to figure skating nationwide

#ThrowBackThursday to @Diversify_ice incredible #skateraiser20 event, which included Olympian @tai_babilonia, National competitor @emmanuelsavary, local skat...

www.youtube.com

Emmanuel Savary's solo performance (fan cam):

Emmanuel Savary Performing To, "Glory" At The Diversify Ice Fundraiser

www.youtube.com

ETA for @Wyliefan:

Tonight Fox 5 DC did a piece on local coach Joel Savary (older brother of Emanuel) and his foundation Diversify Ice, which seeks to encourage minority kids to take up skating. There's a very short clip on Joel's Facebook page. If I can find the full-length video, I'll post it. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=120943202730642&id=100044448870970

I believe this is the full-length video (uploaded to Diversify Ice's YT channel on April 14):

"Founder and CEO of Diversify Ice Foundation, Joel Savary, talks about starting the foundation and writing his book and the disparities of race in figure skating" (TV news report):

Diversify Ice Foundation founder/CEO,, Joel Savary, talks about starting the foundation & book

Founder and CEO of Diversify Ice Foundation, Joel Savary, talks about starting the foundation and writing his book and the disparities of race in figure skating

www.youtube.com

 

[Sylvia]

Debuted across social media platforms on June 12, 2020 - Skating Pledge for Diversity (just under 2 mins.):

Skating Pledge for Diversity

We take the pledge to use our voice for change. Will you take the pledge? #SkatingPledge #DiversifyIceOver the next few weeks, we will be meeting to discuss ...

www.youtube.com

Featured skaters and coaches (listed in order of appearance the first time): Adam Rippon, Rory Flack, Philip Warren, Kiira Korpi, Elladj Baldé, Kaitlyn Weaver, Vanessa James, Asher Hill, Eliot Halverson, Mariyah Thurston Gerber, Ashley Wagner, Jackie Wong, Emanuel Sandhu, Karina Manta, Charlie White, Joel Savary, Maé-Bérénice Méité, Jonathan Van Ness, Megan Williams-Stewart, Milk (Daniel Donigan), Guillaume Cizeron, Michelle Hong, Derrick Delmore, Tai Babilonia.

Twitter version: https://twitter.com/diversify_ice/status/1271579306372841472

Instagram version: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBWh9wyFqTv/

"Over the next few weeks, we will be meeting to discuss how we can take action and move forward to bring more diversity into figure skating. This is just the beginning."

 

[Dobre]

Instagram version: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBWh9wyFqTv/
"Over the next few weeks, we will be meeting to discuss how we can take action and move forward to bring more diversity into figure skating. This is just the beginning."

Let's do! Let's bring more kids into this sport! Big❤from me here. I think it is so important for the longevity of figure skating.

Note: A couple times I have shown Shen & Zhao's 2003 Worlds performance to students. It impresses no matter the audience.

 

[Sylvia]

‘The Skate Kid' Says Making Viral Video on Black Lives Matter Plaza Was ‘Just Amazing'

A video of 9-year-old Kaitlyn Saunders skating on Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been viewed more than 2.2 million times online. But Kaitlyn, also known as The Skate Kid, was focused on expressing the power of the moment as she pulled off jumps, twirls and turns last week...

www.nbcwashington.com

Her coach, Joel Savary, founded the organization Diversify Ice so more young skaters who are Black and Brown, like Kaitlyn, can find both self-expression and success on the ice.

"I definitely think it's important that skaters like Kaitlyn are able to be seen," Savary said. "So many skaters of minority backgrounds are not given the resources to be successful."

Kaitlyn's 4-minute performance can be watched here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CBVxdg5nNvN/

 

[ZilphaK]

Our rink is predominantly white, but I think there are opportunities for our club to do more outreach, even just getting kids in to Learn to Skate. However, we also don't want to make kids feel like, as my friend said, a "community service project" -- you know, a bunch of "nice white ladies doing good." We do have some skaters of color in our club and on synchro, also on the hockey team, so I'm thinking that would be a place to start having a conversation -- about their experiences and their ideas on what, if anything, could be done to bring more kids to the sport. Any thoughts/experiences would be appreciated.

 

[aftershocks]

The sport overall should pay more attention to developing ways of exposing the sport to all young people, and to think outside-the-box re the issues of training costs and equipment expenses. For some youngsters, learning to skate can turn out to just be a worthwhile adventure that provides them with skill, fun, camaraderie, and confidence. So it might pay to develop programs that offer different avenues.

The sport can be fun for all, and a lifetime activity. Therefore, let it be fun and try to guide the youngsters who are set on making a serious career out of it in a way that doesn't burn them out either. Try not to label kids in one category or another. Make the judging, even on the lower levels fair, and less political. Alert youngsters to the possibility of continued growth within or without the sport should a serious career in skating end abruptly. That way, if an injury or other setbacks block forward advancement, young athletes aren't thrown for a loop because they didn't think past making the Olympics. Seriously, work on ensuring youngsters set realistic goals, and understand all the possibilities the sport might have to offer, including coaching, choreographing, costume design, music editing, adult skating, rink management, moving into directions with production companies like Cirque. Actively think about a pro tour, and more possibilities of developing college programs.

What I'm saying is make the sport more relatable and accessible in general, rather than status quo elitist, snobbish, old-fashioned and political. There should be fairness for all to begin with. It doesn't have to be a project. Just reach out to all youngsters in local communities and show them what the sport has to offer, and that it's possible to truly develop a serious career, or just to develop a fun skill. Like you say, it doesn't have to be approached as some kind of special project. Make sure that no one is turned away or disillusioned by prejudiced attitudes in the first place. Talk to people like Joel Savary and others for ideas about reaching out. There may be youngsters of diverse backgrounds in your community who already have an interest in skating, but who may face obstacles your club might be able to help them overcome.

 

[Sylvia]

Kaitlyn "The Skate Kid" was introduced to ice skating through Fort Dupont Ice Arena's Schools Skate For Fitness program: https://twitter.com/FriendsofFDIA/status/1261285183937970176

I just came across her YT channel today:

theskatekid

www.youtube.com

Local Washington, D.C. TV news story on the Fort Dupont rink in February 2020:

Ice arena in Ward 7 provides equipment, makes it possible for anyone to figure skate

There’s a gem in the heart of Ward 7, so precious, kids are willing to wake up at 5 a. m. on a Saturday to get there by 6. It’s a staple the community fought to keep open so neighborhood kids have a place to go. But it’s attracted kids from all over the DMV. Gabrielle Francis says figure skating...

wjla.com

Feb. 19th article:

Bowser Thaws On Funding Fort Dupont Ice Rink Renovations

A fight over funding for the renovation and expansion of D.C.'s only full-size public indoor ice rink has been amicably settled, but supporters of the arena now have a big goal to meet: raise $5 million in private funds for the project.

wamu.org

“The new two-rink arena has been a dream for the Fort Dupont Ice Arena kids and their families for years,” said Willem Polak, chairman of the Fort Dupont Board of Directors, in a statement. “This agreement with the District of Columbia now puts the new rink on a clear, even if steep, path for becoming a reality.”
The steep reality Polak refers to is a requirement that the Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena raise $5 million towards the $30 million budget for renovation and expansion. The first $3 million of that will have to be raised by Feb. 1, 2020. If they hit that goal, the city will sign the contract to start the project as the remaining $2 million in private contributions is collected.
The ice arena offers space for ice hockey and figure skating and runs the Kids On Ice program, which gives free skating instruction and equipment to children aged 5 to 18.

Fortunately, the $3 million was raised in time :

Fort Dupont Ice Arena Successfully Meets Fundraising Goal | Washington Capitals

New 2-Rink Facility will Ensure Continuation of Children's On-Ice Programming and Provide Home for District High School Hockey

www.nhl.com

The next steps are with the District: 1) Initiating the solicitation for the construction of the new 2-rink arena; and, 2) review, with FDIA engagement, the current design to reach a final, in-budget design.
In 23 years Fort Dupont Ice Arena has shepherded over 20,000 children, primarily from Wards 7 and 8, but from every part of the city through our Kids On Ice® (KOI) programs; transforming the lives of children, especially those who don't often get a break. The KOI program includes Learn To Skate, ice hockey, advanced and synchronized figure skating, and speed skating, as well as complementary off-ice training for children ages 5-18. The rink provides skates, equipment, and skating apparel to all who need them. Fort Dupont offers summer camps, and partners with D.C. Public Schools to offer instruction and ice time free-of-charge to school groups through the Schools Skate for Fitness program.

 

[Sylvia]

Glad to see this tweet by the Diversify Ice Fellowship & Foundation today: https://twitter.com/diversify_ice/status/1283748589374787586

@diversify_ice congratulates Diversify Ice founder, @joel_savary, for being selected for USFS @usfigureskating (The U.S. national governing body for figure skating) [new] Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group .

More about Joel Savary here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCs94T2p0mF/

 

[Sylvia]

Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena (Washington, D.C.) was, once again, one of the six recipients of U.S. Figure Skating's Community Development Grants for 2020-21 that was announced on July 1st:

U.S. Figure Skating Announces 2020-21 Community Development Grant Recipients | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

"Six member clubs and programs have been awarded $2,000 each for the purpose of developing community-based programs and events designed to attract, involve and inspire new generations of figure skaters."

The other 5 recipients are:
Amelia Park Ice Arena (Westfield, Massachusetts);
The Ice Factory of Central Florida (Kissimmee, Florida);
Nashville FSC (Franklin, Tennessee);
Skating Club of Taos (Taos, New Mexico);
The Next Ice Age (Baltimore).

 

[Sylvia]

I forgot to mention the 3 skaters who were recently presented with Summer 2020 sponsorship award packages by Diversify Ice:

Nathan Chapple (surprised on Zoom by his coach, plus Joel Savary & Tai Babilonia): https://www.instagram.com/p/CCGrFPRpxS0/
He placed 7th in Junior Men at the Midwestern Sectional Singles Final in November 2019, representing Shaker FSC in Ohio.

Kaitlyn Saunders and Caleb Farrington (their Zoom call included Vanessa James, Maé-Bérénice Méité & Eliot Halverson): https://www.instagram.com/p/CCI38WDJul6/

Video highlights of all 3: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCa5QwZJNY-/

 

[MacMadame]

Kaitlyn Saunders and Caleb Farrington (their Zoom call included Vanessa James, Maé-Bérénice Méité & Eliot Halverson):

Oh, I remember Eliot. What's he up to these days?

 

[Sylvia]

Oh, I remember Eliot. What's he up to these days?

Posted 2 days ago ("Today, I’d like to formally and proudly acknowledge my pronouns as SHE/HER, a step that has felt very intimidating."): https://www.instagram.com/p/CCoMS3op7Aj/
ETA that I've cross-posted the above in this pertinent thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-chapters-to-still-write.107338/#post-5834954

Before the p*ndemic Eliot was coaching and choreographing at Sky Rink in NYC and performed regularly with the Ice Theatre of New York. Here's a short video filmed by On Ice Perspectives at Sky Rink last year:

Skating ASMR w/ Eliot Halverson - On Ice Perspectives

Eliot Halverson wearing headphones and listening to the sound of his skates in stereo. Find out more about On Ice Perspectives and help me continue to make s...

www.youtube.com

 

[Sylvia]

Article by Brandon Penny titled How U.S. Figure Skaters Are Standing Up For Black Lives And Pledging To Diversify Their Sport:

How U.S. Figure Skaters Are Standing Up For Black Lives And Pledging To Diversify Their Sport - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Adam Rippon has a combined following of more than 1.3 million across Instagram and Twitter. He is a public figure revered by up-and-coming figure skaters, members

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Last month, [Joel] Savary and 2007 U.S. junior champion Eliot Halverson led the creation of a video where skaters from around the world committed to diversifying the sport.
...
Calls have already begun between Savary and a community of global skaters to work on moving the goal—and the sport—forward.
"I loved it, and I would love to see even more stuff like that," Andrews said about the video. "It's just awesome. As time goes by, I think the sport will get more diverse, and it takes time because it takes a very long time to master the sport. I think as time passes the sport will get more diverse, especially with the Black Lives Matter movement; it just brings a lot of awareness."

Savary recalls seeing talented minority skaters when he was coming up in the sport and wondering where they disappeared to a couple years later, only to find out they were priced out of the sport.
He also points to issues with underrepresented skaters feeling they are judged unfairly and feeling alone or excluded at the rink because of their skin color, as well as misinformation spreading in regards to how to advance in the sport.
"These are the kind of stories that I felt many minority skaters might need to be educated about. I just really wanted this to be a book that educates and also uplifts the skaters in the sport. I did that by sharing my story and some of the unpleasant experiences that I had, and highlighting a path forward, not only for minority skaters but changes that may need to be made for governance and various communities—an action plan for what can change the sport for the better and rejuvenate it for the better," Savary said of his book.

At the end of the article:

Editor's note: In response to the overwhelming outcry from its Team USA athletes, the U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors has established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion working group to look into how the sport can be more inclusive and welcoming to Black and Brown skaters. Initial recommendations to the board are expected in August.

 

[Sylvia]

One of the Diversify Ice Foundation's sponsors is Aurora Tights (the company sells "dance and ice skating tights in an array of tones for all complexions"): https://www.instagram.com/auroratights/
In their latest "Live Chat" series of videos, Vanessa James and her mom, June, are featured in a 40-minute conversation: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CDZjmfKohwQ/

Aurora Tights is hosting a PERFORM IN COLOR Showcase fundraiser as a Zoom webinar on Monday, August 17 at 7 pm with Vanessa as the keynote speaker and Joel Savary as a co-host: https://performincolorshowcase.splashthat.com/

Come experience a night of dance and ice skating performances showing the beauty of performing in color. In the spirit of inclusivity, you will hear the first hand experiences of notable performers of color you won't want to miss! Make sure to get your donation-based ticket today and help promote diversity in the arts!

 

[Sylvia]

Joel Savary is featured in USFS' Skater Spotlight series (Sept. 2, 2020):

Savary making an impact with Diversify Ice | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

Excerpts:

Savary drew upon his personal experiences to found Diversify Ice, a Largo, Maryland-based nonprofit organization. He serves as the executive director and president of the foundation. The organization’s mission is to provide sponsorship, mentorship, networks and opportunities to underrepresented figure skaters nationwide, so that they are able to achieve their fullest potential in the sport and in life.

“The core of the foundation is about creating the feedback loop — minority newcomers of the sport can do well and will want to enter the sport,” Savary said. “When you see someone who looks like you, you will want to improve.”

Creating awareness of the sport to minority groups and removing financial barriers are at the top of the organization’s list of goals.

“We want to expand and have similar events all over the country,” Savary said. “We also want to work with more schools and figure skating clubs. And finally, we want to be more integrated with U.S. Figure Skating and work together with them to bring in resources from all over the country.”

 

[Wyliefan]

NBC News on black figure skaters, with quotes from Joel Savary and several others (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk...aters-face-barriers-entry-young-age-rcna15816):

Decades after the first Black American skating trailblazer, Mabel Fairbanks, the sport still grapples with some of the same problems of its past. And U.S. Figure Skating knows it; last year it hired its first director of diversity, equity and inclusion, Kadari Taylor-Watson.

“We do have issues with the people feeling like they are on the outskirts of this sport because of the institutionalized racism that has been part of this sport since it began,” Taylor-Watson said.

Other organizations are also addressing these issues of inclusion and accessibility. [Joel] Savary founded the Diversify Ice Fellowship and Foundation, which gives financial support to elite skaters of color and works with schools to introduce skating to Black and brown kids. Figure Skating in Harlem and Figure Skating in Detroit both offer skating and educational training to girls of color.

“We do have diverse skaters throughout the sport,” said Taylor-Watson. “It’s just that they’re not able to matriculate into these higher positions as judges, as coaches.”

She said U.S. Figure Skating has plans to examine membership data to understand why these problems persist — and what it can do differently.

 

[livetoskate]

Thanks, Wyliefan. This made me think of Johnathan Barksdale, an African American skater who trained with Frank Caroll and later coached at the Triangle Sportsplex in North Carolina. His LinkedIn says he's a coach and skating director at the AZ Gilbert rink in Arizona.

 

[tylersf]

Diversity in USA Figure Skating will be our key to success in the next quad. We need to start now.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

Joel Savary got a mention in the Washington City Paper:

Monday Arts Roundup: If Cities Could Dance Edition

In D.C.’s arts and culture realms: Washington Improv Theater seeks new home, Diversify Ice’s Joel Savary in If Cities Could Dance, more.

washingtoncitypaper.com

Joel Savary, a local ice skating coach and the founder of Diversify Ice, is the focal point of the latest episode of KQED’s If Cities Could Dance. Now in its fifth season, the Webby Award-winning series travels across the country documenting stories of groundbreaking dancers.

Link to the KQED article and If Cities Could Dance info:

Black Ice Skating Legends Inspire Today’s Olympic Hopefuls | KQED

Watch skaters in Washington, D.C.,continue the legacy of Mabel Fairbanks, who challenged the elite sport.

www.kqed.org

 

[Sylvia]

Sunday, March 20, 2022 is the date of Diversify Ice’s Annual “SkateRaiser” fundraiser at an outdoor rink in Silver Spring, Maryland:

Events

Skate raiser SOUL Chicago ’24 RSVP Now on EventBrite or EventNoire TodayCome learn to skate, watch local skaters and Olympians, win prizes, and help support minority skaters!For Questions and…

diversifyice.org

Skaters currently scheduled to perform include Pooja Kalyan (freshman at Brown University), Emmanuel Savary, Jacob Sanchez.

RSVP now for Diversify Ice’s upcoming Juneteenth SkateRaiser in person or virtually. During the SkateRaiser, there will be performances from underrepresented rising champions in figure skating, community Learn-to-Skate opportunities, panel discussions, live music, dance classes, art exhibits, and giveaways.

So join us on Juneteenth, Sunday March 20th from 1-3 pm EST for the Juneteenth SkateRaiser featuring Olympian, Tai Babilonia, National and International Champions. Also, look out for performances from our rising skaters, Zuri Davis, Samuel Eckenroed, Rainah Taylor, Laylah Powell, and many more.

*Skater lineup may be changed or updated at any time. Please follow us on social media to see most current lineup.

Tickets:

Skate-Raiser: Winter Game Hopefuls of Color

Diversify Ice's Skate-Raiser is here! Come learn to skate, DEI, watch local skaters & Olympian, win prizes, & funds support minority skaters

www.eventbrite.com

 

[Sylvia]

Bumping up this thread because Alexa Gasparotto (will make her senior debut at 2023 U.S. Nationals) and Nathan Chapple (will make his international debut for Team USA at the World University Games in Lake Placid next week) are featured in this Chicago Sun-Times article & video (Jan. 7, 2023; link was originally posted in the U.S. Men's & Women's news threads earlier today) that mentions they and coach Rohene Ward will be participating in Joel Savary's fundraiser event in Lakewood, CA next month:

The future of U.S. figure skating includes rising stars Alexa Gasparotto and Nathan Chapple

This month, Gasparotto competing at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and Chapple competing at the World University Games will make history.

chicago.suntimes.com

Relevant excerpt:

Gasparotto and Chapple are ambassadors for Diversify Ice Foundation, which was created in 2017 by Joel Savary, figure skating coach and author of ‘‘Why Black and Brown Kids Don’t Ice Skate.’’
Diversify Ice works with businesses across the country to expand opportunities and provide resources in the sport. Savary has created a Diversify Ice network that connects skaters with coaches and other families in skating. The network also connects interested parties to rinks, clubs and equipment vendors.

In February, Gasparotto and Chapple will be performing at Diversify Ice’s Skate-Raiser event in Lakewood, California. The event also includes a seminar class led by Babilonia, Ward and Nathan Truesdell, a panel discussion and a class focused on the history of the sport.
“I felt obligated to join Diversify Ice because of where I was in my life,” Chapple said. “Skating at a higher level, around the coaches I am, having a Black coach, I felt it was time to join a great organization that was doing good for the sport.”

Diversify Ice Foundation's SKATE RAISER CALIFORNIA '23 will be held at Lakewood Ice in Lakewood, CA on February 18, 2023 with a Friday Night Seminar On-ice Class on Feb. 17.

RSVP now for Diversify Ice’s upcoming SkateRaiser in person or virtually. During the SkateRaiser, there will be performances from underrepresented rising champions in figure skating, community Learn-to-Skate opportunities, panel discussions, live music, dance classes, art exhibits, and giveaways.

Early bird ticket prices start as low as $25 and additional discounts may be available in some cases.

So join us on Saturday February 18th from 1-3 pm PST for the SkateRaiser featuring Olympian, Tai Babilonia, National and International Champions. Also, look out for performances from our rising skaters.

Skate-Raiser California 2023

Diversify Ice's Skate-Raiser is here! Come learn to skate, watch performances & Olympian, win prizes, & funds support underrepresented sk8rs

www.eventbrite.com

 

[Sylvia]

New York Amsterdam News article by Lois Elfman (January 19, 2023):

Skaters head to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships

The 2023 U.S. Figure Skating Championships get underway in San Jose, California, on Monday, and it will be the most diverse group of competitors in a long time—possibly ever.

amsterdamnews.com

“They use every opportunity to amplify our message and encourage new communities to get involved with our sport,” said Diversify Ice board member Nathan Truesdell, a coach and former ice dance competitor. “It’s very important that ambassadors provide mentorship to the next generation.”
Diversify Ice is planning a SkateRaiser (fundraiser and awareness) event on Feb. 18 in Lakewood, California. The goal is to keep growing the sport’s diversity. Truesdell said the presence of skaters of color at the U.S. Championships means progress and gives him hope for the future.
“While there are still many challenges, it seems like each new wave of skaters from underrepresented communities [is] met with greater and greater acceptance from the skating world, which is awesome,” said Truesdell. “As a community, we have come so far in the sport, and yet it is still so exciting to think about how much further we can and will go.”

USFS' "Making a Difference" article by Mimi McKinniss on Megan Williams-Stewart who's also involved in Joel Savary's Diversify Ice Foundation (Jan. 17, 2023):

Making a Difference | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

Through coaching, Williams-Stewart found a voice she hadn’t discovered during her competitive days, considering herself a minority on the ice as a mixed-race athlete (both of her parents are white and African American).
“I really liked how much everyone respected me and listened,” Williams-Stewart recalled. “I guess because I was unannounced retired, everyone was really eager to work with me. I felt a sense of accomplishment from that. I also loved challenging myself to relay something verbally to another person. It’s one thing to be able to do it yourself, but to be able to break it down and teach it to someone so that they can do it, too, was very rewarding.”
Now, through coaching and positions on the Boards of both the IceWorks Skating Club and the Diversify Ice Foundation, she hopes to instill the values she learned from skating to a new generation of skaters–life lessons, she says, that are applicable to any skater on the ice, regardless of color, size, age, or financial background.

“There were definitely people along the way for me, like the Memorial Fund, some small sponsorships and some individuals who raised money and supported me with little bits here and there, and my family was so grateful for that,” Williams-Stewart said. “What Diversify Ice is doing is really maximizing all of those little things, and more than that, they’re bringing recognition to minorities in figure skating that are kind of overlooked and not getting the same amount of recognition and support. They’re highlighted. To highlight talented and under-supported athletes is so important, because there’s no mold that you have to fit into on the ice. There’s a place in skating for everyone–every color, every age, every bank account, every shape and size. If you love something, there’s always a place for you.”

 

[Wyliefan]

"Andrews and Gasparotto Reflect on History Made in San Jose"

Andrews and Gasparotto Reflect on History made in San Jose - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

The 2023 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships last month in San Jose, California, gave the world a glimpse into what the next four years might hold for Team

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Both athletes credit Mabel Fairbanks, the trailblazing skater who, nearly a century ago, started to dismantle the status quo of excluding Black skaters from taking part in the sport. Andrews is a 2021 Mabel Fairbanks Skatingly Yours Award recipient, while Gasparotto was awarded the same honor in San Jose. And when Andrews learned of her podium finish, she admitted that she felt her presence in the arena.

"I feel like that she would be speechless with tears of joy," Andrews said. "I cannot express how proud I feel like she would have been — I know that she is looking down she is very proud but if she were here, she would give a very big nod and big thumbs up and hugs to everyone knowing that her legacy is still continuing and we're still taking in all of the things that she's done and pushing forward in figure skating."