Summer in Buffalo means finding every excuse to get near the water. Whether it’s a day at the beach, afternoons at the splash pad, weekends by the pool, or family trips around Lake Erie, water becomes part of how we enjoy the season.
But for many families, especially in the African American community, swimming hasn’t always been a skill passed down from one generation to the next.
Let’s be honest. Many of us grew up hearing someone in the family say, “I never learned how to swim.” For decades, access to pools, swim programs, and aquatic recreation wasn’t always available in Black communities. As a result, many adults either learned later in life or never learned at all. While that conversation may not happen often, it’s a reality that continues to impact families today…