August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 14
WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION
From Tragedy Comes Hope
and Positive Change
An effort inspired by loss reveals how local swim programs can provide children
with lifelong skills while breaking down historic barriers to health equity
By John Brown and Gene Willis
O
n June 5, 2021, Emmanuel Solomon climbed a fence with his
brother and some friends to cool off in the Parkwood Pool, the
only public pool in Kansas City, Kansas - which was closed.
That day, 13-year-old Emmanuel accidentally found
himself in water over his head. Unable to swim, he was rescued by
firefighters, but sadly, it was too late. Emmanuel, a Black child in a
predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood, passed away a week
later, leaving his family and the community heartbroken and sparking a
search for answers.
As a local corporate citizen and
a national medical and dental benefit
provider for current and retired
federal employees, military retirees
and their families, the Government
Employees Health
(GEHA) saw an opportunity
live its mission at home. Through
Local organizations partnered with
GEHA to provide access to aquatics
safety to a community affected by a
historic lack of access.
Association
to
partnerships with the state of Missouri's
YMCA of Greater Kansas
City, the Unified Government of
Wyandotte County and Kansas
City, and Kansas City Parks and
Recreation, we provided access to
aquatics safety to a community affected
by a historic lack of access.
To Overcome Health
Inequity, Understand Its
Root Cause
A 2017 USA Swimming Foundation
study found 64 percent
of Black children in the United
States cannot swim (tinyurl.com/
mr3dwb3d) and are nearly six times
more likely to drown in a swimming
pool than white children.
Hispanic children face similar statistics,
with around 46 percent of
Black children and 47 percent of
Hispanic
children having swim
lessons, compared to 72 percent of
white children, according to Lurie
Children's
Hospital
of
Chicago
(tinyurl.com/ydsbfnvz).
A fundamental reason for this is
that the swimming ability of parents
directly impacts their children.
For many, swimming pools have
generational association with segregation
and unease.
To Achieve Success for
Children, Equip Them
Through the YMCA of Greater
Kansas City's " Learn to Swim " program,
offered in partnership with
Kansas City Public Schools and the
Unified Government of Wyandotte
County and Kansas City, GEHA
supported four-day swim lessons focused
on building basic swimming
proficiency for 200 students, while
also providing swimming suits, swim
towels, sunscreen and goggles, during
the summer of 2022. Of those who
14 Parks & Recreation | A UGUS T 2 0 2 3
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
http://tinyurl.com/mr3dwb3d
http://tinyurl.com/mr3dwb3d
http://tinyurl.com/ydsbfnvz
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2023 - Parks & Recreation
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Intro
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover1
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover2
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 1
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 2
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 3
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 4
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 5
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August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 18
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 19
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 20
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 21
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August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 23
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August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 25
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August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 45
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 46
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 47
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August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 49
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 50
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 51
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August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 55
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August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover3
August 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2021
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com