New classes help Black Houstonians learn to swim
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Swimming with your people. Photo: Courtesy of SwimBLK
A new swim organization in Houston wants to get more Black residents into the pool, teaching them a potentially lifesaving skill.
Why it matters: SwimBLK aims to make swimming more accessible to Black communities, where co-founder Darius Mylik says generations of limited access to pools contributed to gaps in swimming ability.
The big picture: SwimBLK launched in Phoenix last year and expanded to Houston in August after the city became "the most requested location," Mylik tells Axios.
- Its first Houston session sold out, drawing about 45 participants. Demand for the second was so high that organizers added another class, bringing attendance to about 90 people.
How it works: SwimBLK hosts two-hour classes for $40 at the Blue Triangle Community Center's indoor pool in Third Ward, teaching people the basics.
- Classes are open to people ages 14 and older, including complete beginners and those afraid of the water. The organization has taught swimmers as old as 77.
- Trauma-informed instructors work with about five participants each, starting with floating and water safety before progressing to freestyle swimming.
- Mylik tells Axios the classes welcome everyone from people who haven't stepped into a pool in decades to those looking to improve their technique.
What they're saying: "This is an environment that is tailor-made for them, of their people, for us, by us," Mylik says.
- "We want to make sure that we have a full command of the water and also break those generational curses for our kids to learn how to swim."
Zoom out: Black Americans have historically faced barriers to swimming, from segregated public pools to limited access to lessons.
- About 37% Black adults say they don't know how to swim, compared with 7% of white adults and about 15% of Americans overall, per a 2024 CDC report.
- A 2026 study found Black residents in the Houston region had the highest fatal drowning risk in single-family pools from 2016 to 2022.
Zoom in: Mylik says he wants to teach people the survival skill, especially for when they're on vacation near water.
- He began swimming laps about four years ago and grew to love the activity, eventually sharing his progress on social media. That inspired him to co-found SwimBLK, hoping others would discover the same joy in the water.
What's next: SwimBLK's next session is Saturday. After a winter break, they'll return to classes every two weeks in the spring.