ANTIWHITEISM: Cambridge residents flock to free swimming lessons geared to racialized families

 

It's a sad truth that racialized Canadians make up a disproportionate number of the nearly 400 people who drown across Canada each year.

According to the Lifesaving Society of Canada, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional death for Canadian children under the age of 14 and newcomer children are particularly vulnerable since they are four times more likely to be unable to swim.

Kelly De Fogain wanted to help turn those statistics around by offering free swimming lessons to Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) families.

So, as the founder and executive director of non-profit Afropolitan Canada, she helped developed Swim To Survive as part of the organization's four-pillar commitment to supporting the BIPOC community.

The third year of Swim to Survive kicked off Monday in Kitchener with an eight-week program that runs through August.

The free swimming lessons are open to all BIPOC men, women, and children aged 4 years and older. 

https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/helpers/cambridge-residents-flock-to-free-swimming-lessons-geared-to-racialized-families-10885059