From Fear to Freedom: BIMS Swims Helps Black Communities Reclaim the Water

The relationship between Black communities and water is fraught with a painful history. During the era of segregation in the United States, access to swimming pools and beaches was heavily restricted for Black individuals, creating barriers that reverberated through generations. The resulting disparity in swimming ability and water safety skills is still seen today.Black in Marine Science (BIMS) launched BIMS Swims to nurture water confidence among Black communities. Founded on the mission of fostering diversity and inclusion within marine science, BIMS recognizes the profound disconnect that many BIPOC individuals have with water and seeks to bridge this gap through education, engagement, and empowerment.

A Legacy of Exclusion

“A long history of trauma is the reason we don’t see many Black people enjoying the water,” explains BIMS founder Dr. Tiara Moore.” That trauma stretches all the way back to the transatlantic slave trade. More recently, in my grandma’s era, we saw white folks pouring acid and bleach in Black pools. Water became a scary place we didn’t belong.”According to the USA Swimming Foundation, 64% of African-American children have low or no swimming ability, compared to 40% of Caucasian children. The foundation finds that Black children ages 5-19 are almost six times more likely to drown in swimming pools than their white peers. The CDC reports that the racial disparity in drowning statistics has not changed since 1999, leaving Black Americans of all ages 1.5 times more likely to drown than white Americans.

The Mission of BIMS Swims

BIMS was established to amplify the voices of Black marine scientists, and BIMS Swims — a program under this initiative — focuses on fostering water confidence and skills. The program seeks to dismantle the historical, social, and economic barriers that have long hindered Black communities from embracing water activities.“We launched the BIMS Swims Program last year in response to our BIMS SCUBA certification program,” says Dr. Moore. “For safety reasons, a question on the SCUBA certification application asked candidates whether or not they could swim. Without that basic skill, we had to deny many candidates access to that program. Instead of belittling them and making them feel like they don’t belong, we decided to teach them the essential skills they need.”Building water confidence is only the beginning. BIMS Swims also focuses on developing essential water skills, such as swimming techniques, floating, and lifesaving maneuvers. Of course, these skills enhance personal safety, but they also open doors to recreational and professional opportunities within marine fields.Education is a critical component of BIMS Swims. Participants learn about the importance of ocean conservation, the role of marine ecosystems, and the impact of human activities on aquatic environments. By fostering a deeper understanding of marine science, BIMS Swims aims to cultivate future marine scientists, conservationists, and advocates from Black communities. “After completing BIMS Swims, people can apply for our BIMS immersion program and obtain scuba certification,” notes Dr. Moore. “We aim to increase their curiosity about and love for the ocean. When people know how to swim, they become excited about the water. They look underneath the surface to find a whole new world with colorful fish and towering coral reefs. Unfortunately, they also see pollution and trash, but often come away with a passion to change that.”

Community and cultural reconnection

One of the most profound aspects of BIMS Swims is its focus on community and cultural reconnection. Water has historically been a place of cultural significance for many Indigenous and African communities worldwide. By reconnecting individuals with their cultural heritage through water, BIMS Swims helps to heal the scars of exclusion and marginalization.“Our people share a deep ancestral connection with the water,” Dr. Moore observes. “That connection was violently taken from us. Today, we are reclaiming our love of the ocean. Our program is not just swim lessons. We highlight our rich cultural connection to the water by sharing meaningful stories, music, and dance.”

The impact of BIMS Swims involves a vision for the future

The effect of BIMS Swims extends far beyond each of the individual participants. By nurturing water confidence and skills within Black communities, the program contributes to a broader societal shift towards diversity and inclusion in marine science and aquatic activities.“I’ll never forget our first BIMS Swims program in Belize,” recalls Dr. Moore. “One of the students told me, ‘I knew I wanted to be a scientist, but now I want to be a marine scientist.’ She didn’t even know that she could have a career in the ocean. BIMS Swims promotes marine science by providing a point of entry to the field. If kids look at me as a marine scientist and don’t even think I can swim, they are not likely to see this field as a space where they can belong. BIMS Swims gives them the confidence to see marine science as a real possibility in their future.”BIMS Swims is a transformative program that nurtures our innate connection to the water. It saves lives, unlocks new opportunities, and fosters a deeper appreciation for the planet’s most vital resource.“My dream is to see every Black person swimming,” says Dr. Moore. “I want to shatter the stereotype that we don’t belong in the ocean. Ultimately, the goal is to fill our community with swimmers, marine scientists, and people who love the ocean. By doing this, we gain a whole new community working toward solutions for climate change issues, sea level rise, coastal pollution, coastal erosion, and nutrient pollution. Imagine, to achieve all of this, we just need to commit the time and resources to empower and uplift a community so they can be in the room.”To support BIMS Swims, learn more about BIMS’s mission, or donate to BIMS, please visit the BIMS Ride the Wave campaign.

About the Author: Marcy Paulson is a full-time writer based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She’s been featuring her clients’ stories for eight years and still can’t wait for the next interview. When she’s not near a keyboard, you’ll either find her picking guitar with her husband in their old-time string band, paddling the Tennessee River, or hiking through the Appalachian foothills with their kids.

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