When Bryson Sutton came to one of our Outdoor Afro events, every kid jumped in the pool except him. He stood on the sidelines—scared and unable to swim. I could not let that go. That moment reminded me how a history of exclusion from pools and beaches has left Black children far more at risk around water.

That is why we created Making Waves. Since 2019, Making Waves and Outdoor Afro have awarded more than 7,000 Swimmerships—swim lesson scholarships—for children and caregivers to learn life-saving skills. I still remember Bryson’s first cannonball. He beamed with pride and confidence, and his family told me how different he felt after learning to swim.

Now we are scaling up to reach even more families so that no child has to watch from the edge. Outdoor Afro celebrates and inspires Black connections with nature, and Making Waves ensures those connections are safe by teaching critical water skills. Every Swimmership changes a life and helps break a harmful legacy of exclusion.

Please join me in supporting Making Waves and Outdoor Afro programs. Your donation will fund swim lessons for children and caregivers, build confidence, and save lives. Give today and help us make more Brysons.