What began as a grassroots movement led by the Aurora Black Community Association resulted in the Town of Aurora officially declaring February as Black History Month in September 2020—a lasting step toward recognition, inclusion, and truth.
I CAN SWIM
Fri, Sep 02
|Regional Municipality of York
I CAN SWIM - Removing barriers for family people and increase safety and inclusivity
Time & Location
Sep 02, 2022, 7:08 p.m. – 7:13 p.m.
Regional Municipality of York, Regional Municipality of York, ON, Canada
About the Event
Why did the Black boy drown? Because he couldn’t swim. Jeremiah Perry drowned on a school trip last summer during a field trip enjoying a Canadian experience – canoeing in the wilderness. The group stood out in Algonquin Park because most of the kids were Black. And finding Black people in the woods is rare. It turned out that half of the kids could not swim.
One may believe that there are many programs to help families who can't afford to pay for these important sports and life skills. However, there are too many barriers to getting access to those programs - complicated application process, poor communication strategies, lack of inclusiveness in how information is shared, financial shaming, and so many more. ABC I CAN SWIM is created without barriers and with intentionality to ensure that no child or parent is left unreached. EVERY CHILD or PARENT WILL SWIM. Thus,…