Black Swimmers Overcome Aquatic Segregation and Drowning Disparities

Addressing the Drowning Epidemic

• ⚠️ Black children are five times more likely to drown compared to their white counterparts, with six out of 10 Black children not knowing how to swim.
• 💡 This disparity is linked to historical aquatic segregation and limited access to pools, particularly in communities like New York City Housing Authority.

"Black People Will Swim" Initiative

• 🏊‍♀️ Paulana Lamineer founded "Black People Will Swim" in 2020 to combat the stigma and statistics surrounding Black people and swimming.
• 🎯 The organization aims to bring the number of Black children who don't know how to swim down to zero by providing accessible swim lessons.
• 🤝 The initiative partners with other organizations and offers scholarships to make lessons affordable and remove barriers to water access.

Outdoor Afro's Support

• 🤝 The nonprofit Outdoor Afro is providing financial assistance for the third consecutive year to support swimming education.
• 💰 They have awarded over 3,000 "swimmerships," equipping new swimmers with the life-saving skill of swimming.
• ✨ The goal is to ensure no child faces barriers to connecting with water, emphasizing it as a basic, essential life skill.

Personal Journeys

• 💡 Tama Bastik, a 42-year-old, is taking swim lessons for the first time, inspired by her upbringing with limited pool access.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 She is also ensuring her daughters learn to swim, recognizing it as a crucial skill for everyone.