Every year, countless families in L.A. County seek opportunities to enjoy the water, whether at pools, lakes, or beaches. Yet, access to safe swimming spaces and water education remains limited for many Black families. This Black History Month, we recognize the late Assistant Chief Russell D. Walker, L.A.’s first Black lifeguard, whose transformative work in water safety led to the creation of the W.A.T.E.R. (Water Awareness, Training, Education, and Recruitment) Program in 1986, which was renamed in his honor in 2021.

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