Having commenced her skating journey at the tender age of 3, Andrews expresses her aspiration to contribute to the diversification of a sport where Black skaters are seldom seen on the global stage.
The significance of her achievement as the first woman of color in figure skating to bring home a Grand Prix medal is not lost on Andrews. She takes pride in representing diversity in a sport that she believes should feature a more varied representation. According to Andrews, “I think it’s a huge deal to be a woman of color in figure skating. I’m so proud I could represent. (It makes) bringing home a medal even more special.”
Her sentiments find resonance in the words of her coach, Derrick Delmore, who underscores the importance of Andrews serving as a role model and advocate for skaters of color. Delmore emphasizes, “Because there are so few Black skaters in the world, it’s really important for Starr to be a role model and a voice for skaters of color.”
Speaking to Team USA, Delmore adds, “It’s really, really important, especially with everything that’s going on in the world right now. She stepped up to the challenge. The fact she made so much of a statement this week does wonders for the community and will continue to solidify her as a role model.”
Andrews echoes these sentiments, emphasizing the need for increased diversity in the sport. She believes that while there are sporadic instances of diversity, it should become a commonplace occurrence. She states, “I think it’s really important that the sport is more diverse because I feel like it isn’t as diverse as it should be. 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.”
