Beloved actress Erika Alexander has her own street in Philly.
Over the weekend the Living Single actress was honored with a street naming at Broad and Master in North Philadelphia.
Per the Philadelphia Tribune, many spectators gathered around the Freedom Theatre to witness the occasion. Alexander was discovered at Freedom Theater when she was 14 during summer acting class.
“Praise is often hard to take, and I don’t know why, but I accept it,” she said in front of family, friends and fans. “I have a big imagination, but I could not dream of a day like this. The dear friends, family, mentors, and loving people who taught and inspired me, traveling from all over to see my name fixed to a steel pole.
During the ceremony, nieces gave a stirring performance of Lift Every Voice and Sing alongside multiple speeches and a spoken word performance. Councilmember Jeffrey Young Jr., who spearheaded the honor, was also in attendance, speaking to Alexander’s legacy and what she means to the city.
“As the council member who had the privilege of representing and sponsoring the legislation to rename the street, it brings me immense joy to stand before you amid this unveiling. This is a way to pay tribute to the legacy of a woman whose journey started here in Philadelphia and who continues to inspire generation after generation,” said Councilmember Young.
Born in Winslow, Arizona, Erika grew up in Flagstaff, AZ. She moved to Philadelphia in 1982 after her father was assigned to study at the Lutheran Seminary in Germantown. Her acting career started at the Freedom Theatre, while she was in high school. Per the Philly Voice, she won the role of Joan in “My Little Girl,” an independent film shot and set in Philly. She then moved to NYC, where she received her big break in “The Cosby Show”.
In addition to her work on screen, Alexander owns a nonprofit, Color Farm, that focuses on amplifying underrepresented people in the entertainment industry. Fellow actor and Alexander’s former teacher at Freedom Theatre spoke about the actress’s early years and how joyous it is to see how far she’s come.
“She presented a radiant curiosity and a stillness that was participatory and engaging. It was easy to see that something was there and if she worked and engaged herself. The possibilities were endless.”
Last year, Winslow, Arizona dedicated a street to the actress.