Fifty-seven percent of African American and Latino children are unable to swim. In addition, African American children drown at a rate almost three times higher than White children. To encourage more minorities to learn how to swim, Olympic Gold medalist Cullen Jones will travel to various U.S. cities promoting the availability of low- to no-cost swimming lessons to give all kids access to life-saving swimming skills, regardless of their ethnic or economic background through the Make a Splash program.
Cullen, the first African American male to hold a world record in swimming, will also focus on increasing funding for learn-to-swim initiatives across the country.
A study revealed that 58 percent of black adults admitted that they could not swim. In households where parents can't swim, 91 percent of African American children and 70 percent of Hispanic children will not learn to swim.
I am an African American adult unable to swim. I have had a fear of water ever since I had a bad experience when I was 9-years-old. I remember it has if it were yesterday. Another little girl and I were on a circular flotation tube in a wave pool. We had managed to drift to the "deep end." Although I could not swim (it was probably my second time in a large body of water), I was not afraid since I was floating. Then, another slightly larger girl recognized us and rested her body on the tube making it flip over. I quickly sank. My head slightly hit the bottom making my glasses break and fall off of my face. I struggled to push myself up, but I didn't know how. I started screaming under water and taking in water, but no one was as far down as I was. After about two or three minutes, I began to "accept my fate" and I stopped trying to move in the water. I just relaxed my body and I just floated up to the top. A lifeguard finally saw me struggling at the top of the water face down. She grabbed my hand and pulled me out. Once of the pool, I began to throw up water and my chest began to hurt. The water park had to drain the pool to find my badly wounded glasses. After that experience, I did not get in a pool again until two years ago, when I tried to conquer my fear of water and learn how to swim. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. By the end of my six-week class, I still couldn't float. I simply could not put my face in a large body of water. I tried ducking my head in a bowl of water to get used to the idea, but that was as far as I got. How embarrassing.
When I confess that I am unable to swim, especially to those from a different race, many people are baffled. I tell them that even among my circle of black friends, only a handful of them can swim well. To me, it makes sense. Many blacks live in a neighborhood without community centers or local pools. In my old South Memphis neighborhood, we didn't have one. Pools are expensive to have and to upkeep. For some black families--with homes--having a pool is considered a luxury. The first time I got into a pool (as far as I can remember) was on the day I fell to the bottom.
Cullen had a near death experience as a child, which prompted his parents to give him lessons.
“I didn’t learn how to swim to become an Olympic champion,” said Cullen in a statement. “I learned how to swim, because when I was five years old, I almost drowned. Every summer these tragedies happen and we talk about how they could have been prevented; yet every year the statistics remain the same."
Because I can't swim, I am unable to participate in some recreational activities during vacations. I can't attend aerobic water classes. I am quite limited.
Even though I failed at my first attempt to learn how to swim, I have not given up. I plan to take private lessons in the near future. Will you learn with me? The editors of emPower are looking to chronicle a few readers who are planning to learn how to swim in the next few months. If you are an adult who is unable to swim and interested in learning and possibly sharing your experience in emPower, send an email to editorial@emPowernewsmag.com and put "Let's Learn Together" in the subject line.
If your child is unable to swim, visit makeasplash.org to find out about swimming class opportunities in your area.
DeShuna Spencer is owner of emPower magazine, published by Liu Karama Productions LLC.
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