07/19/2025
Outdoor Afro, a national nonprofit, is working to fix a serious and preventable problem: Black children are twice as likely to drown compared to white children. This is often due to a long history of limited access to swim lessons, which goes back to segregation and unfair treatment. To help, Outdoor Afro created the Making Waves program, which provides free swim lessons to 2,000 Black families across the country. They’re partnering with schools and even covering the costs to make sure families can participate.
The program was inspired by founder Rue Mapp, who once saw a child stay out of the water because they were too scared and didn’t know how to swim. Now, Making Waves is about more than just learning to swim—it’s about saving lives, getting families ready for climate-related flooding, and helping Black communities feel confident and joyful in the water. It’s not just about survival—it’s about strength, safety, and empowerment.
Source: Capital B News
https://capitalbnews.org/drowning-disparity-black-kids-swim-lessons/
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