Going to the pool and accessing Colorado’s open waters is a summer treat, but kids and adults of color face historical and modern barriers that keep them out of the water – and put them at higher risk of drowning. Swimming pools were often a battleground for civil rights.
Crystal Egli, a leader in the outdoor equity space in Colorado, says people from Black, Latino and other minority groups were historically kept out of swimming pools, and that legacy contributes to the comparatively low portion of Black kids and adults who know how to swim today.
Leilani Ransburg, a swimmer who teaches private lessons in metro Denver, says she remembers being the only person of color on her swim team when she was little.
And Anya Taylor, aquatics director at Montclair, part of Denver Parks and Recreation, talks about her experience trying to find swimming opportunities for kids of color.
Real Talk airs on CPR News and KRCC on Fridays at 3:30 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m.
The TV show airs on Denver7 on Saturdays at 5:30 a.m. and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. It also airs on Local3 on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. and Sundays at 6:30 p.m.
