Latashia Key's "Creating Inclusive Aquatic Spaces….Overjoyed with Peace and Love" - Image of Research 2025

Water is vital to our survival as human beings and learning how to survive in a body of water can literally save our lives. How many youth have drowned because they did not know how to swim? Drowning rates are highest in children 1-4 years old. Also, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death among youth ages 5 to 14 according to the CDC. I was a child who experienced a near-drowning while at a birthday party and my parents enrolled me in swim lessons. For 35 years, I’ve taught numerous youth how to swim and learned that, sadly, Black youth have the highest drowning rates among all races. It was time I developed an evidence-based swim lesson and water safety program that closes this racial gap in swimming with a focus on Black girls. I chose Black girls because they are understudied, undervalued and their voices unheard in research especially leisure research. My program showcases instructors who swim and looked like them and highlight various aquatic spaces Black individuals participate in. The water is a place to have fun, show your joy and experience peace. The lesson for all is that Black people can and do swim!