SwemSchool: Metro-Atlanta's largest Black-owned swim school tackles drowning disparities
As the nation honors Black History Month, stories of resilience, innovation, and community impact take center stage — none more inspiring than the journey of Trish Miller.
Miller is the founder and CEO of SwemSchool - metro-Atlanta's largest Black-owned swim school - who isn't an expert swimmer, but wanted to start an aquatics program for kids and adults as a result of trauma.
"Really, in response to my own drowning experience in the water," Miller continued. "My background is in public health, so I intimately know how the statistics affect certain demographics."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the number one cause of death in the United States for children ages one to four. Nearly 70% of Black children do not know how to swim. Black children between the ages of 10 and 14 drown at rates more than seven times higher than White children.
"That's why we do the work that we do, focusing on those demographics who have high rates of drowning," Miller said.
"Swem…S,W,E,M is Afrikaans," Miller said. "We were very intentional on paying homage to the continent where we all came from, and unfortunately, many of the attitudes and feelings and opinions we have around the water originated."
SwemSchool's curriculum is designed to foster a strong connection between the community and the water. Most instructors live in the neighborhoods they serve, building familiarity and trust.
Miller explained the reasoning behind this approach: "So that people can see themselves in the space and, in many cases, know the people who are actually teaching them or guarding the waters. That creates a matter of trust," she said.
"It's just phenomenal to see so many young Black children learning how to swim," said Caloria Osborne, a parent at SwemSchool.
Candace Gordon-Howard's son is just beginning to learn how to swim at Swem School. "Of course I'm always going to supervise him, but I feel comfortable that he's comfortable in the water as well," she said.
Every week, SwemSchool serves more than 1,000 students across metro-Atlanta. Its scholarship program, Swem Kids, helps eliminate financial barriers to classes.
When Miller founded the school in 2017, she herself didn't know how to swim. She celebrated her first lap in 2019.
"We celebrate first laps because that first lap for me was almost like a baptism," Miller reflected. That so-called baptism is an experience Miller hopes to share with people everywhere.
