Why This Matters to Me - and to Black Families

Recently, I came across a small newspaper clipping (circa ~1933) that stopped me in my tracks. It told the story of my grandmother’s twin brother, Donald Jefferson, who drowned at just 11 years old while playing near a pond in rural Oklahoma. He slipped from an inner tube, went under the water, and never came back. The article was brief, factual, and painfully telling of the times - but behind it was a family forever changed.

Donald was not just a headline. He was a child. A brother. A future uncle. A life lost too soon.

Stories like his are not isolated - especially in Black communities, where access to swimming education, water safety, and safe outdoor spaces has often been limited or denied. Drowning has quietly stolen generations of potential, memory, and connection from Black families.

That’s why I’m supporting Outdoor Afro’s Making Waves program.

Making Waves is about more than swimming. It’s about equity, safety, joy, and preservation—ensuring Black children and families have the skills and confidence to enjoy water safely. It’s about making sure play doesn’t turn into tragedy, and that families don’t have to carry the weight of “what if” for generations.

I can’t bring my great-uncle back. But I can honor him by helping protect today’s children and tomorrow’s families.

If this story moves you, I invite you to donate, share, or simply learn more. Together, we can help ensure that Black families are preserved—not just remembered.

Thank you for standing with me and with Outdoor Afro.