Senator Kevin Parker to Host Swim 1922 Event in BedStuy YMCA

Brooklyn, NY - On June 24, 2023, Senator Kevin Parker joined forces with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Eta Nu Sigma Chapter and Seven Roses Legacy Foundation to host their Swim 1922 event at YMCA BedStuy.

Swim 1922 is a community outreach program that aims to promote water safety and increase swimming skills among young people of color. The initiative is inspired by the tragic events of 1922, when more than 100 African Americans drowned while swimming in segregated public pools across the country. The event seeks to address the continuing racial disparity in swimming, which has resulted in significantly higher rates of drowning among Black and Latino children compared to white children.

Senator Kevin Parker, who has been a long-time advocate for community health initiatives, has been an avid supporter of Swim 1922 since its inception. "I am thrilled to partner with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Eta Nu Sigma Chapter and Seven Roses Legacy Foundation to host this important event," said Senator Parker. "Swimming is not only a fun activity, but a valuable life skill, and we need to ensure that every child has access to safe and properly maintained swimming facilities. Swim 1922 will help impart important safety guidelines while also promoting the joy of swimming."

The Swim 1922 event included swimming lessons, water safety demonstrations, and a series of fun activities for children aged six and above. YMCA BedStuy provided free-swimming lessons to the first 50 children who register for the event. The event was open to the public and free of charge.

                                       About State Senator Kevin Parker

Senator Kevin S. Parker is intimately familiar with the needs of his ethnically diverse Brooklyn district comprising sections of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Kensington, Ditmas Park, Midwood, Flatlands, Canarsie, Georgetown, Old Mill Basin, Mill Basin, Marine Park, and Bergen Beach. A lifelong Brooklyn resident, he is the Chairman of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee and sits on the Senate Finance; Rules; Banks; Internet and Technology; and Budget and Revenue.

                                                                   ###