To celebrate Black History Month and shine some light on powerful ladies of color, I wanted to recognize American figure skater and 2022 Olympic hopeful, Starr Andrews. At just 19-years-old she has won many titles at the junior level but remains underrated within the sport of figure skating. She is one of the only Black figure skaters competing at the elite level right now, a fact which highlights an issue that is prominent in all levels of figure skating: the lack of racial diversity.
Figure skating is one of the least diverse sports and Andrews is well aware of this. She often talks about the lack of diversity and hopes that she can help change that. In an interview with the Olympic Channel she commented, “You know, you see a couple people here and there, but I feel like it needs to be a normal thing that you see. And it’s not.”
To advocate for Black skaters and the Black Lives Matter movement, Andrews skated a beautiful program to a song called “Black Like Me” by Mickey Guyton. The program was filmed and uploaded to YouTube where it received more than 95,000 views. The video even received recognition from former First Lady, Michelle Obama.
Wow! Thank you @Skating_Starr—this is such a powerful performance. To all the Black kids out there striving for excellence in the face of those who doubt you: Keep going. Keep telling the story of your experience. We see you. ❤️ https://t.co/GNah5VkYBQ
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) February 8, 2021
This powerful performance touched the Black community both in and out of the figure skating world. This Olympic hopeful has already become a role model for Black figure skaters and women everywhere, especially through her work with a non-profit in New York City called “Figure Skating in Harlem.” This organization’s mission is to help girls of color “transform their lives and grow in confidence, leadership and academic achievement.” This organization is truly ground-breaking and with Andrews’ help, diversity and representation in figure skating should no longer be an issue.
Starr Andrews may not be a prominent figure in the skating world right now, but this will not be the last time you hear about her. As she continues her journey toward becoming an Olympian and advances in her mission to increase diversity in figure skating, there is no doubt that she will become one of the most impactful skaters this sport has ever seen.