NEW YORK — Fresh off an Olympic gold medal, a third NCAA title and the first steps toward her pro career, Laila Edwards brought her story to Harlem on Monday night. The 22-year-old U.S. standout met with more than 150 Ice Hockey in Harlem players and parents at the Oberia Dempsey Multi-Services Center, joining sister Chayla Edwards and mother Charone Gray Edwards for dinner and an open discussion about hockey, family and belonging in the game.
A trailblazer’s message reaches Harlem
Edwards became the first Black player to skate for the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team, helping the Americans defeat Canada 2-1 in overtime for gold at the 2026 Winter Games. In Harlem, she spoke about learning to handle the attention that followed.
“At first, all of it felt like a lot,” Edwards said. “Then I looked at it as a gift — a chance to affect people positively and make history.”
She said the evening’s turnout and the questions from the room made the visit worthwhile.
“The questions were terrific,” Edwards said. “Maybe something we said, even one sentence, can change how somebody sees themselves.”
- Edwards and her family visited after hosting Ice Hockey in Harlem players at the University of Wisconsin last October.
- Eight players from IHIH’s new girls program attended Wisconsin’s sweep of Minnesota Duluth, toured the Badgers’ dressing room and met the Edwards sisters.
- Caroline “K.K.” Harvey, then a Wisconsin defenseman and Edwards’ U.S. Olympic teammate, also joined that campus question-and-answer session.
- Edwards was scheduled to take part in IHIH’s annual charity golf tournament in Scarsdale, New York, on Tuesday.
From Learn to Skate to the Olympic podium
The Edwards family traced its hockey path back to a Learn to Skate program in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Laila Edwards told the young players that her rise did not happen without the steady support — and major financial commitment — of her parents, Charone and Robert Edwards.
Charone Edwards said the family routinely spent far beyond what it earned in a year to keep their children in hockey. They avoided calculating the season-ending total because it was too daunting, she said, but they always found a way to continue.
Laila Edwards’ calendar has not slowed after the Olympics. She helped Wisconsin edge Ohio State 3-2 for the 2026 NCAA championship on March 22, giving her three national championships in four seasons after titles in 2023, 2025 and 2026.
- San Jose selected Edwards fourth overall in the 2026 Professional Women’s Hockey League draft in June.
- She signed a three-year contract with the expansion club on Sept. 14.
- Edwards appeared at the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo and announced the San Jose Sharks’ selection of forward Ivar Stenberg at No. 2.
- She also appeared with U.S. women’s and men’s hockey players on an episode of “Celebrity Family Feud” that aired in July.
- Her next international assignment is the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship, set for Nov. 6-16 in Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark.
- Edwards is expected to make her PWHL debut when San Jose hosts Minnesota at SAP Center on Dec. 5.
Family perspective on race and identity in hockey
Chayla Edwards, 25, played at Wisconsin from 2019 through 2024 and won the 2023 national championship alongside her younger sister. She told the Harlem group that being among the few players of color on many teams brought difficult moments as they moved through the sport.
She recalled being questioned about her hair, her skin and how her curls looked when wet. The challenge, she said, was developing confidence and refusing to let isolation push her away from a space where she belonged.
“I’m happy I kept going, and that I could help my sister through it too,” Chayla said. “Having more role models would have meant so much.”
That point landed with parents in the room. Rhys Powell said meeting a Black family that had reached the highest levels of hockey gave his family fresh encouragement, especially in a sport where Black players can still feel conspicuous.
Powell’s 11-year-old son, Zane, cleared his late-afternoon plans to attend. He said meeting Edwards mattered more than another long practice, calling it special to see a Black gold medalist in New York.
Ice Hockey in Harlem marks 40 seasons
The Edwards family’s visit arrived during Ice Hockey in Harlem’s 40th anniversary season. Founded in 1987 by Dave Wilk, Todd Levy and former New York Rangers forward Pat Hickey, the organization provides free hockey and academic-enrichment programming for Harlem children ages 5 through 18.
The nonprofit uses hockey to reinforce school attendance, teamwork, discipline and broader life skills. It is also part of the NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone initiative, which backs more than 30 nonprofit youth hockey groups across North America.
Executive director Malik Garvin said the Wisconsin visit showed IHIH players that they could pursue hockey, education and larger opportunities at the same time. He praised Laila, Chayla and Charone Edwards for giving the girls time, sharing their experiences and listening to the players’ own stories.
Garvin said the organization does not have the budget of a major New York City nonprofit, but its survival over four decades reflects both its impact and the importance of relationships with families such as the Edwardses and partners at Wisconsin.
