After Four-Year Journey, Swim Up Hill Brings Swimmable Pill to Compton in a Groundbreaking City Partnership
Compton and Swim Up Hill launch trauma‑informed Swimmable Pill Light, training 10+ staff and advancing LA28 swim equity.
COMPTON, CALIFORNIA — Four years of persistence, trust-building, and city partnership have delivered a historic breakthrough: Swim Up Hill and the Swimmable Pill Foundation have officially partnered with the City of Compton to train municipal staff in the Swimmable Pill Light Program and deliver culturally tailored, trauma‑informed swim education at the world‑class Gonzales Park pool. Backed by community ally One with the Ocean and equipment partner Aqua by Delfino, the initiative launches a full summer season of instruction while preparing more than 10 City of Compton staff to lead long-term aquatics transformation.
“This moment is historic—not because it took four years to build, but because the City of Compton said yes to doing aquatics differently,” said Paralympic medalist and Swim Up Hill founder Jamal Hill. “Together, we’re proving that swimming isn’t just a skill. It’s a pathway to healing, to jobs, to community power.”
The City of Compton partners with Swim Up Hill to bring culturally grounded swim education to Gonzales Park—marking a historic shift in municipal aquatics.
A New Standard in Culturally Competent Aquatics
Swimmable Pill Light was created as a deliberate alternative to outdated, exclusionary national programs like the Red Cross. Its curriculum centers cultural humility and trauma‑informed pedagogy for BIPOC communities historically excluded from aquatics. With professional‑grade equipment donated by Aqua by Delfino, newly trained Compton instructors are teaching in an environment built for dignity, safety, and success.
“This partnership is about rewriting the narrative around swimming in our community,” said the City of Compton Aquatics Director. “Our staff, our youth, and our city deserve this kind of investment.”
Newly trained City of Compton staff begin teaching trauma‑informed swim lessons through the Swimmable Pill Light program—empowering youth with skills, confidence, and opportunity.
Milestones & Momentum
The summer kickoff event and gear giveaway transformed Gonzales Park from an idle facility to an active hub. Staff interviews and program filming are documenting the journey for a national campaign, while upcoming cultural site visits with the Compton Cowboys deepen the bridge between water, identity, and local pride. All of this unfolds within the All Roads Lead to LA28 campaign—positioning Compton as a replicable, equity‑driven model other cities can adopt.
Long-Term Impact
The partnership seeds job creation and sustained community engagement: trained staff gain paid pathways, families access life‑saving skills, and Gonzales Park emerges as a generational anchor. What began as a four‑year pursuit now stands as a scalable blueprint for municipal swim equity nationwide.
Impact at a Glance
10+ City of Compton staff trained in Swimmable Pill Light
Full summer season of trauma‑informed swim lessons launched
Equipment donation and support from Aqua by Delfino
Partnership kickoff and cultural site visits filmed for national campaign
Job creation and community engagement seeded for long-term growth
Paralympian and Swim Up Hill founder Jamal Hill leads poolside training at Gonzales Park, turning a long-idle facility into a hub of healing, jobs, and local pride.
How to Partner
Sponsor future Swimmable Pill cohorts, fund swim lessons or job pathways in Compton, or join as a filming/media partner in the national campaign.
To contribute or learn more, visit www.swimuphill.org
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