This announcement for media, swimmers and fans is courtesy of Cullen Jones Diversity Invitational.
Cullen Jones, Olympic Swimming Champion (Image courtesy of Speedo)
Four-time Olympic medalist Cullen Jones, a long-time advocate for drowning prevention and swim safety, the Queen City Dolphins, Charlotte’s minority-based competitive swim team, and Speedo, the world’s leading swim brand, will host more than 500 swimmers from around the United States at the first-ever Cullen Jones Diversity Invitational (CJDI), a three-day, USA Swimming-sanctioned short course (25 yard) swim meet to be held Oct. 11-13 at the Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center in Charlotte, N.C.
WHAT: On Tuesday, October 8th, just prior to the first-ever Cullen Jones Diversity Invitational, four-time Olympic Gold Medalist and event host Cullen Jones will hold a media availability to discuss the inaugural swim meet and his mission to celebrate diversity in swimming and promote the sport among minority communities. Jones will also be available to answer questions about his experience at the 2012 London Olympics and his ongoing training at SwimMAC.
WHO: Cullen Jones, four-time Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer and swim safety advocate
WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013, 11:00 a.m. ET
WHERE: Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center, 800 E Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28202
Cullen Jones, Olympic Champion (Image courtesy of Speedo)
RSVP: Sarah Waple, Cullen Jones Diversity Invitational, Public Relations, (484) 753-1175, [email protected]
How unfortunate for you. We belong to the only true diverse team in Greensboro. My kids belong to the NC AquaBlazers and we are original members of the AquaBlazers. I do not think because of where I sit is somehow indicative of my support. We, our year round team cheer for all our team members Black White Asian beause we are 1 team. Having diversity meets does not destroy or lessen that. All are invited regardless of color. But if your kids have participated in this sport as long as mine have then you know that down here in the South it is very different the level of participation of minorities. My eldest child now 28 never knew there were… Read more »
Angela has walked in our shoes with our children who swam on year round teams and also are some of first members of NC Aquablazers who host the largest Diversity swim meet in NC The National Black Heritage Championship Swim meet! I can’t say the same about sassyFrass! Congrats to Queen City Dolphins Team & Cullen Jones on their Fall meet!
While I am happy to see that Cullen is encouraging more minorities to join the sport of swimming I don’t see how having another meet geared to host minorities is encouraging us to all be “one team.” Here in NC especially I have noticed that our minority parents sit together to the exclusion of their white parents counterparts. It is discouraging to me to see parents not engaging with their fellow team parents but very obviously segregating themselves based on race. So here in NC we now have 2 large “minority” meets…how is that encouraging our youth to see everyone as teammates as opposed to white vs black team mates who go to separate meets because of their race?
Can not the same be said about the whites. Can your statement not be worded that “our white parents sit together to the exclusion of their black parent coutnerparts”. Your excuse or defense lacks credit as your statement is blaming when it really is two fold. Etiher way, two wrongs does not make a right. If you see this as an issue what have you done to correct it. I am sure you have “tried” however you still lack debate as you have already stated they sit alone. Thus said because you have not choosen to join them. I think the article was about much more than this anyways. The point is that the minority community turly is minority when… Read more »