Alysa Liu celebrates Olympic return with a hometown rally in Oakland

Alysa Liu held a celebration rally at Oakland City Hall attended by thousands and received the key to the city; the event highlighted her ties to Oakland and its Chinatown community.

Alysa Liu approved a celebration rally at Oakland City Hall on Thursday that drew thousands to Frank Ogawa Plaza. She grew up and still lives in Oakland and trains at the city's lone ice center. Mayor Barbara Lee presented Liu with the key to the city. The event was planned to reflect the city and the cultures that shaped her. What happened: - The city distributed 5,000 free tickets that sold out days before the event and expected at least 2,000 more people to attend without tickets, with additional viewers on live streams and local broadcasts. - Mayor Barbara Lee gave Liu the key to the city during the rally held at Frank Ogawa Plaza. - Local and national figures appeared in person or by video, including Kehlani, Andre Ward, G-Eazy, W. Kamau Bell, P-Lo, Stephen Curry (via video) and Steve Kerr (via video). - The celebration highlighted Oakland cultural groups and artists, including Turf dancers, the Oakland School for the Arts, Shaolin kung fu demonstrations and the Fremont High School band. - The event emphasized Liu's ties to Oakland's Chinese-American community and Chinatown, and it noted Arthur Liu's history as a political dissident who later settled in the Bay Area. Summary: Thursday's celebration framed Liu's Olympic success as a hometown event and showcased community groups and cultural ties across Oakland. It reinforced her public connection to the city's Chinese-American community and the neighborhoods where she grew up. Undetermined at this time.