Figure Skating in Harlem revels in 20th anniversary “We’re all here because this is a great
idea and it’s changing lives,” said Scott Ham- ilton, who was honored with the Power of Inspiration Award at the Champions in Life Benefit Gala on May 2. “Programs like this are needed in every city in the United States.” As true every year, New York society;
skating luminaries such as Meryl Davis, Evan Lysacek and Dick Button; and stars from the fashion world, including Vera Wang and B Michael, came together to celebrate Figure Skating in Harlem (FSH), an organization that combines the sport of figure skating with educational programs that promote academ- ic success for girls ages 6 to 18. Six current FSH members presented a
spoken word performance about shattering stereotypes. Five graduating seniors also took the stage. Kolby Couch, an aspiring biochem- ist who has been with the program since the age of 6, said FSH teaches its participants about breaking barriers. One of the seniors, Tanay Davis, who has
participated in FSH for 11 years, will attend Howard University, where she received a full-tuition scholarship. “I can imagine myself being on the
Some of figure skating’s biggest names attended the 20th anniversary of Figure Skating in Harlem. (l-r) Sasha Cohen, Alex Shibutani, Maia Shibutani, Nathan Chen, Meryl Davis, Scott Hamilton, Sharon Cohen, Adam Rippon, Ashley Wagner, Evan Lysacek and JoJo Starbuck.
campus for four years surrounded by people of color doing great things and going out into the world and making an impact,” Davis said. “Without [FSH], I don’t know where I would be in life. It gives the girls a lot of opportuni- ties they wouldn’t be able to get without the program.” Three alumnae of the program were also
introduced to the audience, all of them col- lege graduates. Sherrie Smith, an original FSH member at its inception in 1997 who works at Goldman Sachs, is now on the advisory board. Other honorees included Curtis McGraw
Webster, a longtime supporter and advocate for FSH, and Olympic silver medalist Sasha Co- hen, who has interacted with and mentored the girls since 2004. “Every time I hear these girls speak, I hear
what they’re accomplishing in the world and I’m reminded of the resilience, determination and boundless potential of young girls today if they’re given the opportunity,” Cohen said. At the end of the presentations, mem- bers of the FSH board surprised founder and executive director Sharon Cohen with a special award. “When our girls look out at a blank sheet
of ice, what they’re really seeing is a blank canvas,” Cohen said. “Stroke by stroke, they etch into their hearts and minds a story about themselves that they tell to themselves. … When you see the poise of our girls and the light behind their eyes, you’re seeing authen- tic self-worth.”
— Lois Elfman
8 JUNE/JULY 2017
SUE COFLIN/MAX PHOTOS
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