Comments by Sheridan Jack-Browne Mukoro at NYC Aquatics Symposium
NOTE: The the New York City Aquatics Symposium was held on August 18 at Brooklyn Law School. Representatives from NYC Parks, the YMCA, the Red Cross, NYC DOE, the NYC City Council as well as non-profits including Inclusive Community Wellness (ICW), the Magnus Mukoro Foundation, Musa Swims, + Pool, Rising Tide Effect, Swim Strong Foundation and Tankproof discussed and debated solutions to these and other concerns such as drowning, a dearth of learn-to-swim instruction and difficult access to water.
Good morning, everyone. It’s an honor to be here with you today to highlight and to discuss New York City’s crisis of having limited access for swim and safety, especially in black and brown communities.
Before I share my personal story to exemplify why learning how to swim can be a lifesaving skill, I would like to say thank you to Michael Randazzo and all the other committee members for organizing such an imperative event and for inviting me to be the keynote speaker at today’s Aquatics Symposium.
My name is Sheridan Jack-Browne Mukoro, the widow of Magnus Mukoro and the founder of the Magnus Mukoro Sports Foundation - a not-for-profit organization I created in honor of my late husband to continue providing safe and fun athletic spaces for New York City Youths and families.
Eight years ago, in the summer of 2015 while on vacation with my husband, Magnus Mukoro and our two young children, Josiah and Marley, my husband accidentally drowned in a residential pool at a family barbeque.
My husband was an athlete, an avid soccer player and a devoted youth soccer coach for over 15 years, but, unfortunately, he was not a swimmer, which cost him his life.
So, why didn’t my husband know how to swim? Because he did not have the opportunity nor the privilege to learn this fundamental life skill.
According to the CDC (US Center for Disease Control and Prevention), Black Americans drown at a rate 50 percent higher than White Americans. Additionally, Black children ages 10 – 14 years old drown at rates 7.6 times higher than White children. And, nearly 64% of Black children in the US have little or no swimming ability, compared to 40% of White children, according to USA Swimming, the national governing body for the American sport of swimming.
Why is this the case?
Because over time, dating back to slavery when slaves were forbidden to swim to prevent them from escaping, Black Americans were historically denied access to pools and beaches. For example, during the Jim Crow era, pools were segregated and there were far fewer affordable swim classes for Black families. And, throughout the country, public swimming pools were in predominantly white communities, and to date, Black families are denied access to private swim clubs around the country.
[Why American Stopped Building Pools]
Hence why thousands of New Yorkers have been deprived of this fundamental life skill and one of the many reasons why we are here today.
Magnus Mukoro, co-founder of Young Rock Soccer, with his players. Photo: Young Rock
It’s also why the MMSF encountered so my difficulties and setbacks with trying to create and maintain an affordable adult swimming class to help decrease the percentage of Black Americans who drown.
So, it’s my hope and prayer that today’s aquatic symposium will bring attention to all these critical issues and eventually help to create an aquatic culture in NYC that is beneficial, affordable and accessible to all New Yorkers!
Again, thank you for allowing me to share my story with all of you today.