Swimming In The Black Community: How Racism Is Drowning Us

Kiadodie

Well-Known Member
It was part of the curriculum to learn to swim and that was in Elementary school. It’s weird to me that a lost of black people don’t know how to swim. My elementary school was mixed BTW.
 

Leeda.the.Paladin

Well-Known Member
It was great! I'm also trying to get the basics down.
I could already float a little, so I'm not completely afraid to be in the water. She focused on getting me comfortable with having my face in the water and on how to kick. By the end of the first lesson, I was able to go a short distance using one of those barbell floaty things. I'm not used to being in the water, so it didn't occur to me until the end of the class that I had on goggles and could keep my eyes open. :wallbash: That's when I realized that I was actually propelling myself forward without the instructor's help.
Haha, you sound like you’re doing great!
 

Saravana

Well-Known Member
For me one of the things keeping me from being a decent swimmer is the hair issue. I can hardly get a swim cap to cover my head. SOLUTION!: i found a black owned company that makes swim caps large enough for some of us naturals. SWIMMA

I think it is based in South Africa, so for those of us in the US, here is a place where we can order: We Buy Black

And here is a youtube review of Swimma! I can't wait for my Swimma to arrive! :cup:


 
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Blessed&higlyflavoured

Well-Known Member
My mum taught me and my sisters how to swim. My dad taught her how to swim. We regularly went to the pool either with school or as a fun family activity.
Even though I would say I'm a competent swimmer I still have been caught out a few times!
The wrong wave hitting, or being uncoordinated with your movements. Strong swimmers drown too.
But make it a priority. Swimming is important. If someone said to you they don't run or walk you'd look at them funny
 

jerseyhaircare

Well-Known Member
My 2 year old and 4 have been enrolled in swimming lessons since September. It is a private company and the lessons are indefinite. I have seen a lot of progress in the past few months-my little one can float and backstroke and the oldest can freestyle across the pool without a swim vest and knows how to tread water. I think I'm going to keep the lessons till the summer, then I'll try to find someone that will come to my complex to accelerate the lessons. It's extra time out of my weekend but their progress and water awareness have been worth the investment.
 

spacetygrss

Well-Known Member
It was part of the curriculum to learn to swim and that was in Elementary school. It’s weird to me that a lost of black people don’t know how to swim. My elementary school was mixed BTW.
Ditto. Except middle school since it was 6th grade.
We had to learn to swim right along with tennis, golf and bowling (yes, bowling). I went to a racially mixed school.

That said, I already knew how to swim when we started because my Mom enrolled me in swimming lessons when I was 8 or 9 at the YMCA. Both of my kids have taken swimming lessons since they were toddlers. They can both swim just about any way you ask them to at this point.
 

IslandMummy

Well-Known Member
This thread was bumped today and now boy child is asking to go to the pool

 

LoneStarGirl

Well-Known Member
We've had our daughters in swim classes since they were old enough to take lessons at the YMCA.

Unfortunately where we live now, there is no YMCA, but what makes up for it, is that there is a swim team aquatics program. They are both on the swim team (different teams, based on their swim level ability).

They practice 3 times a week and compete against other teams in our state. My youngest is in a lower level than my 12y/o, but just moved up to the advanced group in her level.
 

intellectualuva

Well-Known Member
I got lessons last year using my ex bf Y membership. I am still not completely comfortable with the face in the water, so I will be taking more 1 on 1 lessons when I get back home.

No one in my family...alive at least....can swim. I nearly drowned twice as a kid and became too afraid.

It was nice getting those lessons last year, so I could really enjoy "swimming" when we went to Jamaica.
 

Leeda.the.Paladin

Well-Known Member
DD enjoys the pool. Since my last post in this thread, she’s had 2 more rounds of lessons when she was two.

I need to get my little one swimming better. Last summer we spent the time trying to just get him not to be terrified of putting his head underwater and being in the water in general. My other 2 are in swim team so they swim year round, thank goodness.
This thread was bumped today and now boy child is asking to go to the pool

LOL, we went and swam today.
 

RoseofLily

Well-Known Member
I have been wanting to take swim classes since I was a little girl. Always asking my mom if I can have swim lessons,she said Yes everytime but didn't get them. My daughter' got taught by their dad. Now my middle daughter is on her schools swim team.
 

dancinstallion

Well-Known Member
So I just signed dd and ds up for the free houston parks swim lessons. Those few slots at the park were gone in 6 mins. I had to set my alarm so I didnt miss it.

So ds and dd have 2 free weeks and 4 paid weeks of lessons. And I'll take them to a pool to practice a few times a week.
Dd has been told she has the potential to be a very good swimmer so i want her to start taking lessons all year.

this worked out really well over the summer for us. I signed up for more free lessons and my kids became good /comfortable swimmers. All they did was swim all last summer. The paid lessons were well with it because it taught so much in a short period of time and had only 3-4 students per instructor. The free lessons were mainly practice for them because they had learned the strokes in the paid classes and there were about 10-11 students per instructor. Ds isn't afraid of water any more. Yay!! They had fun at both the free and paid classes

I want dd to join a swim team.
 

Saravana

Well-Known Member
For me one of the things keeping me from being a decent swimmer is the hair issue. I can hardly get a swim cap to cover my head. SOLUTION!: i found a black owned company that makes swim caps large enough for some of us naturals. SWIMMA

I think it is based in South Africa, so for those of us in the US, here is a place where we can order: We Buy Black

My apologies to anyone who may have ordered through that We Buy Black company i mentioned as a result of my post.

Sub par and unacceptable customer service. :down:

First time and last time i am ordering from them. I will find another way to get my Swimmas caps.
 
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intellectualuva

Well-Known Member
My apologies to anyone who may have ordered through that We Buy Black company i mentioned as a result of my post.

Sub par and unacceptable customer service. :down:

First time and last time i am ordering from them. I will find another way to get my Swimmas caps.

Glad you updated I left that tab open to order when I get back home.
 

Enyo

Well-Known Member
My apologies to anyone who may have ordered through that We Buy Black company i mentioned as a result of my post.

Sub par and unacceptable customer service. :down:

First time and last time i am ordering from them. I will find another way to get my Swimmas caps.
Did you let the company know? It’s also important we let them know where the room for improvement is.
 

Saravana

Well-Known Member
Did you let the company know? It’s also important we let them know where the room for improvement is.

I have sent numerous emails to WeBuyBlack and have only received generic auto-generated emails replies acknowledging reception of emails. Nothing else.

At this point, I am cool with it. it just means another company who has their act together is going to get my money. As it should be.
 

Saravana

Well-Known Member
This past week I received my Swimma cap!!! :bouncy:

Bypassing WeBuyBlack, the south African company sent it to me directly from one of their other US affiliates. I have been so busy I have not even had the chance to go to the pool to put it to the test, but I shall next week. So far, the fit is great.

Guys if you want the cap, just order directly from the makers SWIMMA
 

Leeda.the.Paladin

Well-Known Member
Bumping this thread.

A 21 year old AA man drowned in my area recently.

Interesting PDF about disparities in drowning related deaths.

https://www.lib.washington.edu/commons/events/scholarsstudio/past/water/cook-slides

Ages 5-14: 3 times more African Americans drown than do whites
• Ages 11-12: 10 times more African Americans drown in swimming pools than do whites
• Fewer minorities learn to swim compared to whites
• Twice as many AAs report being unable to swim compared to whites
AA adolescent girls report higher fear of swimming than any other racial group
• AA parents more fearful of their children drowning compared to white parents
• Swimming has become an activity of privilege
• Perceived to be a “white activity”
 

IslandMummy

Well-Known Member
This past week I received my Swimma cap!!! :bouncy:

Bypassing WeBuyBlack, the south African company sent it to me directly from one of their other US affiliates. I have been so busy I have not even had the chance to go to the pool to put it to the test, but I shall next week. So far, the fit is great.

Guys if you want the cap, just order directly from the makers SWIMMA
Are you still using this cap?
 

Kanky

Well-Known Member
Bumping this thread.

A 21 year old AA man drowned in my area recently.

Interesting PDF about disparities in drowning related deaths.

https://www.lib.washington.edu/commons/events/scholarsstudio/past/water/cook-slides

Ages 5-14: 3 times more African Americans drown than do whites
• Ages 11-12: 10 times more African Americans drown in swimming pools than do whites
• Fewer minorities learn to swim compared to whites
• Twice as many AAs report being unable to swim compared to whites
AA adolescent girls report higher fear of swimming than any other racial group
• AA parents more fearful of their children drowning compared to white parents
• Swimming has become an activity of privilege
• Perceived to be a “white activity”

This reminds me of the thread where a black mom styled her daughters hair with braid extensions to make it easier for her to use the pool daily. The school suspended her over the hairstyle.
 

aribell

formerly nicola.kirwan
[deleted]

Didn't realize it was such an old thread. But pretty much all the black kids I knew growing up swam. If anyone in my extended family doesn't, they haven't mentioned it.
 
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