Women's History Month: Introducing Alysa Liu

Floor Speech

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Ms. SIMON. Mr. Speaker, this is Women's History Month, and I rise to introduce my constituent of the week. Her name is Alysa Liu. She is 20 years old, and she was raised in Oakland, educated in Oakland, and trained in Oakland.

Two weeks ago in Milan, Alysa brought home two Olympic gold medals to the United States of America. She is the first American woman on the top of that podium in 24 years. She walked away from skating at 16 and came back on her own terms.

Her father fled China after Tiananmen Square, arrived in Oakland with nothing, worked his way through law school, and has raised five children on his own. He brought her to the ice at just 5 years old, and she took it from there.

Watch her skate, and you see something extremely rare, Mr. Speaker, not just excellence but joy and clarity. She is a young woman so completely herself. An Olympic arena becomes a place of joy and freedom. That is an American hero, not despite where she came from but because of it.

Oakland is proud, and we honor Alysa Liu today.

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