I have witnessed the dire need for resources & accessibility… where the splash of swimming was often silent amongst certain communities, like where I grew up. Today, 64% of African American children can’t swim, drowning deaths for youth are up to 10.6× higher, & overall rates have risen 38% in the last 6 yrs. Black swimmers make up just 1% of the USA’s 400,000 athletes, & until 2022, swim caps made for natural Black hair, like Soul Cap, were banned from competition. That ban said everything. Hair remains one of the top reasons people avoid the pool. 9× more is spent on hair care annually than caucasians, with chlorine damaging styles like braids, locs, and afros, turning swim days into setbacks.

So Speedo & Soul Cap teamed up to change the narrative. We turned skateparks into pools, bringing free lessons, culturally inclusive gear, & a community-led approach to places the sport has never reached. Sure, we could’ve used a regular old public pool. But who would show up? That’s been done. It’s expected. Why skateparks? Because they’re loud, fearless, public, and full of kids who already know how to fall and get back up — the perfect mindset for learning to swim. When 97% of pools in the U.S. are privately owned, SwimPark doesn’t just offer access. It offers energy, visibility, and a reason to show up. When we hear parents say their kids would be more likely to swim if they saw someone who looked like them succeed, that matters.