Photo: Naomi Baker / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Broadway star Ali Stroker, singer Anderson .Paak, jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker and violinist and composer Gaelynn Lea will join Team USA Paralympians and Los Angeles natives Samantha Bosco, Ezra Frech and Jamal Hill for the LA28 Paralympic Handover celebration during Sunday's closing ceremony of the Paris games, organizers announced Wednesday.
The handover, which precedes Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Paralympics, will be broadcast live on CNBC and Peacock at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
"The LA28 Paralympic Handover will be a historic moment, as Los Angeles prepares to host the city's first-ever Paralympic Games," LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman said. "When Paris hands the flag over to LA, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to spotlight the Paralympics with a cast of allies, artists and advocates who share our commitment to furthering the Movement."
After the Paralympic flag is passed to Los Angeles, Stroker will kick off the handover by singing the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France.
"The Paralympic Games allow millions of people with disabilities to see themselves represented on the world's biggest and most competitive stage in sports," Stroker said. "I've had many incredible roles in my life, from Broadway performer to actor and author to disability advocate. Today, I'm thrilled to play a role in the Paralympic Movement, alongside LA28, and represent the United States with the national anthem at the Closing Ceremony. In this moment, my hope is to elevate the power of embracing your limitations by turning them into opportunities, just like the thousands of Paralympians representing their country at the Games."
Following Stroker's performance in Paris, the handover will "spotlight music and movement" against the backdrop of Venice Beach, organizers said. Whitaker, Lea and rapper and athlete Garnett Silver-Hall will participate in a show that will feature an "interactive musical performance" from Anderson .Paak.
"I'm really honored to be a part of the Handover celebration and welcoming the Paralympic Games to my native state of California," said .Paak, an Oxnard native. "There's a lot in common between Paralympic athletes and music artists -- work ethic, trust, time, dedication to your craft, exceeding expectations, taking big bets on yourself. The LA28 Handover will amp up this connection while bowing to the spectacular achievements made by Paralympians from around the world in Paris and LA."
.Paak will be joined by athletes in the world of adaptive skateboarding and wheelchair motocross, including Oscar Loreto Jr., Kanya Sesser and Aaron "Wheelz" Fotheringham. Actress Lauren Ridloff from "The Walking Dead" and Marvel's "Eternals" will also be featured in the Handover.
"The Paralympic Games coming to Los Angeles for the first time will be one of the most significant moments in history for people with a disability," said Frech, who won two gold medals in this summer's Paris games. "For me as an LA native, it will absolutely be one the most memorable moments in my sporting career and life -- an experience I cannot wait to share with my hometown and community."
The 2028 Summer Paralympics will take place Aug. 22-Sept. 3, a few weeks after Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics.