Addressing the Issue of Swimming in the Black Community with SWIM TEAM Author Johnnie Christmas

Faith Health & Home

EP. 99 - On this episode, I speak with award-winning and bestselling Author and graphic novelist Johnnie Christmas to talk more about the Issue of Swimming in the Black Community. Learning to swim is a very serious issue in the Black community. Longstanding issues of race and class have meant that pools are either not present in Black communities or are poorly maintained. Parents who can’t swim are less likely to have children who can swim or encourage their children to learn. Drawing from his personal experience of nearly drowning as a child, Johnnie thought it important to look at the role of swimming in the black community. Johnnie’s inspiration for SWIM TEAM was to encourage young African American children to get in the pool and learn to swim.