Swimming proficiency rates and the lack of public pools

Public pools serve as community gathering spaces, havens from the heat and safe and affordable places for people to learn to swim. But public pools in the United States have become increasingly rare over the past century. That’s limited the ability of people of color and those without access to country clubs or backyard pools to learn safely. And it may also be one reason why only 56% of U.S. residents can demonstrate basic swimming skills, according to an American Red Cross poll. We look at the history of public pools in the U.S. and here in California, what’s behind their decline and the racial disparities in drowning rates that persist.

Guests:

Laurie Davies, California assembly memeber, represents parts of Orange and San Diego Counties

Jennifer Lopez, founder, Echo Aquatics - an organization that offers adult and child swim lessons and water sport coaching

Heather McGhee, author, "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together" - former president, Demos, a public policy think tank; board chair, Color of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization

Patt Morrison, columnist, The Los Angeles Times

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