Swimming is more than just staying afloat in water; it’s a much deeper necessity that can also serve as a therapeutic outlet for communities in need. Today, we are joined by drowning prevention specialist Kiana Pauline, the Founder and CEO of Total Body Submersion – a community-centered organization geared toward building water confidence for people to fall in love with swimming and indeed, life.

Kiana begins by explaining who she is and what she does before detailing common swimming stereotypes that are best forgotten. Then, we learn about how adults approach swimming in communities of color, why Kiana founded Total Body Submersion, how her company affects her work in various communities, and how her background in healthcare administration influenced her approach to water safety.

Lastly, we discover the power of water as a healing tool, why swimming can be categorized as a public health concern, why our solutions need to evolve with ever-changing social determinants of health, and how today’s guest finds daily joy at work. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Drowning prevention specialist, Kiana Pauline describes her nature and work. [03:43]

• Swimming stereotypes that she is working hard to dispel. [05:59]

• How adults in Black and Brown communities approach swimming. [09:20]

• Why Kiana started Total Body Submersion and how it affects her community work. [11:36]

• Water therapy: Solving life’s biggest problems, one stroke at a time. [15:41]

• How Kiana’s past in health care administration informed her approach to water safety. [19:33]

• Why her work is an important public health concern. [22:20]

• How social determinants of health evolve, and why our solutions need to keep up. [29:00]

• Understanding what brings Kiana Pauline joy in her work. [30:55]

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