Anika Noni Rose to be Honored at Figure Skating in Harlem Gala Featuring Alysa Liu and More

Figure Skating of Harlem, the world's first education and figure skating organization for under-resourced girls, will welcome supporters from fashion to finance to philanthropy to the Figure Skating in Harlem Igniting the Dream 2026 Gala, on Monday, May 18th at 6 pm at Ziegfeld Ballroom, 141 W. 54th Street, NYC.

Figure Skating in Harlem 2026 Gala honorees:

Tina Lundgren, Olympic Figure Skating Judge and Figure Skating in Harlem Board Member. Tina is also the Chairman Emeritus on the Board of Ronald McDonald House for New York. Tina is a driving force for girls' education and empowerment while being a committed champion of FSH for more than 15 years.

Anika Noni Rose, currently starring in the Broadway play The Balusters, is a Tony award-winning and critically-acclaimed actress and singer in film, stage, and television, including Caroline, or Change and the Oscar-winning and Grammy-nominated Dreamgirls. She is the history-making voice of Tiana in Disney's The Princess and the Frog - its first Black princess, and was named the youngest Disney Legend. Anika has her own attraction, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, at Disneyland. She is actively involved in philanthropy, focusing on arts education, special needs, and health.

The Gala will also include appearances from Team USA's Olympic Figure Skating Team, including gold medalists Alysa Liu, Madison Chock, and Evan Bates. Private travel for Team USA is made possible by Wheels Up. The evening will be hosted by 2025 gala honoree and CBS Mornings Co-Anchor Vlad Duthiers. The 2026 Gala Co-chairs include Vera Wang and Michelle Kwan.

The annual Gala honors people advancing access in skating, education, and leadership on a national level. The festivities will include a cocktail reception; a Gala program, including honoree and senior scholarship presentations, seated dinner and dessert, and a series of special guest surprises throughout the evening!

Founded by Sharon Cohen, the nearly 30-year-old nonprofit organization has served more than 1,500 girls and young women within the NYC community with programs centered around figure skating, academic, and leadership development. The organization was recently featured in an Imagine Documentaries series, HARLEM ICE, on Disney+ and won the 2025 Sports Business Journal Celebration of Service Award. With enthusiastic support from their Board of Directors, this annual fundraiser helps to continue their impact on the girls and young women of the Harlem/Upper Manhattan community.