OUR MISSION
EDUCATE
To provide educational programming and collaborative relationships in traditionally underrepresented communities in order to equip historically underrepresented communities and vulnerable populations with the skills needed to be safe and participate in aquatic physical activities and environments.
PROMOTE
To increase the knowledge and awareness of water safety and drowning prevention, and aquatic physical activities in historically underrepresented communities and vulnerable populations.
SUPPORT
To increase sustainability in water safety and drowning prevention efforts and involvement in a variety of aquatic physical activities in historically underrepresented communities and vulnerable populations.
OUR STORY
The drowning and participation gaps in aquatics mirror the disparities we find in public health and education, often ignoring the ongoing historical issues of race, socioeconomic circumstances, and cultural stereotyping. Therefore, a revamped focus is needed to address and help curve the current gaps found in aquatics.
Founded by Dr. Shaun Anderson and Jayson Jackson in 2010, Diversity In Aquatics is an organization built to develop a network to help save lives by empowering communities to have equitable access to quality aquatic opportunities. We work to address historical policies and practices that impact resource allocation and access to public spaces to understand present-day aquatic disparities. Since our organization's founding, we have grown to nearly 2000 members, consisting of the most ethnically diverse water safety advocates, researchers, educators, aquatic leaders, practitioners, and enthusiasts. We have a nine-member board that works to ensure that practices are in place to reduce the risk of harm to our organization's volunteers and partners. In addition to our Directors, we have seven aquatic councils that play an essential role in the collaborative work we do to understand the needs, motivations, interests, and challenges of historically marginalized communities in the context of aquatic participation. As an action-based organization, Diversity In Aquatics has been influential in the aquatics industry to:
Dismiss stereotypes by challenging false narratives about historically marginalized communities' abilities and participation in aquatic activities.
Share information, resources, and knowledge with culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Preserve and educate about the diverse, and often hidden, history of aquatic accomplishments and culture.
Promote the benefits of aquatics to future generations.
Diversity In Aquatics goes beyond the efforts to save lives, curve drownings, and promote aquatics as a healthy activity. We represent the diverse leadership, reflective of the communities in which we serve. As a 100% volunteer-led member organization, we work together to promote water safety and drowning prevention education, focus on creating opportunities in aquatics and addressing drowning disparities in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities. We approach water safety and drowning prevention through the lens of social justice, education, and public health to address the impacts of race, socioeconomic circumstances, and cultural stereotyping effect the communities in which we serve.
Together with your help, we can create a more equitable approach toward a comprehensive water safety and drowning prevention strategy for all. Thank you for all your efforts, and we look forward to what is to become.
OUR SUCCESS
WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH AND WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED!
OUR VISION
To empower communities to have equitable access to quality water safety education and aquatic opportunities.
OUR GOALS
Strategic, measurable goals to evaluate our impact.
Our board and team have identified specific, measurable goals to help us prioritize and structure the work we do with partners and communities in the US and internationally. It's our hope that we'll be able to point to specific Diversity in Aquatics initiatives and efforts to show the impact our organization has made towards these global concerns to attract partners, earn funding, and prove that our strategies and networks can achieve our vision.
The goals we've selected speak to a practical way to make a change in the safety, engagement, and education in aquatic safety and lifestyles. With the help of people all over the world, we hope to not only meet but exceed our objectives.
International Water Safety Day is a perfect time of year to mobilize our Impact and Community partners to see that children learn water safety and basic swim skills.
Through our partnership with American Red Cross during our Diversity in Aquatics conventions, we hope to actively certify the next generations of instructors and educators to expand the network of professionals able to pass on swim and lifesaving skills.
We want to expand our year-round Diversity in Aquatics youth and adult learn-to-swim programs to two dedicated locations in the US or abroad.
To spread the word, we plan on developing a two-part diversity-based series of public announcements on water safety.
12M
YOUTH EDUCATED ON WATER SAFETY
220
RED CROSS INSTRUCTORS & TRAINERS
2
PUBLISHED DIVERSITY-BASED RESEARCH PAPERS