Aquatics 4 All
Increasing water safety and expanding diversity in aquatic sports.
Unlike other activities, aquatic sports have two major barriers to participate safely - access to a pool and skilled instruction. As such, individuals in under-resourced communities often never learn to swim.
The Brenda Villa Foundation aims to change this reality.
The Problem
Under-resourced communities are 4.5x less likely to have access to a pool than more affluent communities; because of this, swimming is unfamiliar to the people in these communities.
The Result
Under-resourced communities, which are often comprised largely of people of color, account for 90% of global deaths due to drowning each year, resulting in a community-wide fear of water.
The Reinforcement
Due to fear of water in communities of color and lack of basic water safety skills, this demographic is underrepresented in aquatic sports. Just 3.9% of USA Swimming members are African-American or Latinx, resulting in few role-models driving interest in aquatics.
Our programs are breaking this cycle by facilitating change in communities.
Our Story
Our founder, Brenda Villa, is a 4-time Water Polo Olympian who learned to swim, and became on Olympic champion, because of the unique resources available to in her community in East Los Angeles.
Take Action
Ready to take the next step? You can become a contributor to our cause, or participate yourself.