FlowMakers Swim wants to build a community where people can discover their own flow in the water, develop resilience, feel safe in deep water, and connect confidently with their bodies and nature – all within a space that fosters trust and belonging
1. What do you offer?
A brief overview of who is part of the initiative and what you offer or your idea (e.g., formats, target groups, activities)
Hi Peepz, my name is Toni and I am the founder of the swimming community FlowMakers Swim. FlowMakers Swim offers more inclusive swimming experiences designed with and for BIPOC and is welcoming and inclusive of LGBTIQA+ individuals. Our community offers swimming courses in the pool and first experiences in open water training.
It is a space where people can discover their own flow in the water, develop resilience, develop safety in deep waters, and connect confidently with their bodies and nature – all within a space that fosters trust and belonging.
2. Why did you start your organization or initiative?
Tell us about your personal motivation or your “why.” The idea for FlowMakers Swim really grew from my friends: many of them, all BIPOCs, expressed their wish to improve their swimming techniques, learn properly, and feel safer in deep water. I thought: why not set it up as a community event for friends – and friends of friends?
What began as a small community event for friends quickly turned into an incredible summer of joy, support, and even swimming-buddy friendships. Seeing people who once feared the water now swimming with ease showed me how powerful confidence, practice, and community can be. They not only built confidence but also acquired a true survival skill. That’s why I founded FlowMakers Swim – to create a space where people can learn swimming, discover their own flow, and feel supported every step of the way.
3. What do you want to achieve with your organization or idea?
With FlowMakers Swim, I want to create an inclusive swimming community where BIPOCs and other underrepresented groups can access swimming as a survival skill, a sport, and a source of wellbeing. The goal is to help people build confidence, resilience, and safety in the water while discovering their own flow and connection to nature – for example through open water training. Beyond individual skills, FlowMakers Swim seeks to reduce local barriers to swimming, foster a sense of belonging, and show that water is a space for everyone. It also aims to introduce a new, accessible swimming program in town.
4. What does a more equitable outdoor scene mean to you?
An inclusive future in nature is one where different communities feel welcomed, supported, and inspired to discover their own relationship with natural spaces and build resilience, without being excluded by dominant norms that mark racialized people as outsiders. This means everyone, regardless of race, background, or identity, can experience nature in ways that foster wellbeing, safety, and confidence, while respecting and taking care of the environment, including plants and animals. Creating this future
requires spaces and programs—like FlowMakers Swim—that actively remove barriers, foster belonging, and empower people to connect with water and the outdoors. Moreover, in the water, participants often realize that they are one with their bodies and with nature – that we are not separate from it. This connection is what makes swimming such a powerful and special experience.
5. Why do we need to make nature more accessible to BIPoC?
Barriers to swimming include limited access to pools and open water, cultural and financial obstacles, lack of representation, and fear or lack of experience in deep water, which often make BIPOCs and other underrepresented groups feel unwelcome or unsafe. These challenges create opportunities to build inclusive communities where people gain confidence, resilience, and essential swimming skills, connect with nature, foster wellbeing, and experience the social impact of supportive, empowering spaces like FlowMakers Swim. Making nature more accessible to BIPOCs is crucial because it allows them to overcome these barriers, engage safely and confidently with the outdoors, and fully experience the benefits of connection, flow, and empowerment. Nature experiences make us calmer, more adaptable, and more creative—capabilities we need more than ever in today’s world.
6. What specifically do you want from the outdoor community and society to enable genuine participation and safe spaces for BIPoC?
First of all, thanks to OUTO (Opening Up the Outdoors) for highlighting, through their research on belonging without barriers, that this is about more than access: it’s about understanding how dominant norms shape outdoor spaces, how this affects underrepresented communities, and how, in the long term, it can harm both our societies and our care for nature. By addressing these structural barriers, we can create genuinely inclusive, safe, and empowering outdoor experiences for everyone. This includes providing accessible facilities, designing programs that are welcoming and culturally aware, amplifying diverse voices, and supporting initiatives that build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging in outdoor and water-based activities. True participation means not only opening access but also cultivating environments where BIPOCs feel safe, respected, and empowered to fully engage with nature. I get emotional because I am deeply touched by all the people here who have founded initiatives to create these inclusive spaces. I am so grateful for their vision, dedication, and the example they set for all of us
7. Which (outdoor) role models or movements have inspired you?
Flock Together, Black Girl Hiking and Swim Dem Crew.
Flock Together reminded me of the slowness we need in this world—to observe, to notice the details, especially in birds, how they move, and at the same time to reflect on how we move through this world during long nature walks. Black Girl Hiking is an initiative by my friend, and I love how they create a space for FLINTAs and BIPOCs to connect, explore the region around Cologne, and now even bring in things like outdoor yoga. It’s such a welcoming and supportive community. Swim Dem Crew has inspired me profoundly—they’re the only swimming club I know led by two Black men. What started as a circle of friends has grown into a huge community, raising awareness, offering safe spaces, and giving people the chance to learn new techniques in such a supportive way. Their social media, podcast, and collaborations are just dope—I really love how they keep up the good work.
8. What are your hopes for the OUTO Changemaker Program?
My hope for the OUTO Changemaker Program is that we create synergies, connect with like-minded changemakers, and strengthen each other’s initiatives. I want to learn from others, share experiences, and together build inclusive outdoor spaces that have a lasting social impact.
9. What motivates you most about participating in the OUTO Changemaker Program?
What motivates me most about participating in the OUTO Changemaker Program is the people who are part of it. I am deeply moved and inspired by the people themselves, their initiatives and dedication. I’m also excited about receiving guidance and support from the Social Impact Hub, like Elli, and from the founders of Opening Up the Outdoors, Phil. Most importantly, I look forward to really focusing on getting to know our participants —listening, learning, and growing from the people who participate in our programs and co-design it.
10. What advice would you give to others who want to promote a more inclusive outdoor scene?
Start before you are ready!
11. Complete the sentence: Nature means to me...
Nature means to me a place where I do not seek to control, where I move with it, stumble over my own humility, and can grow alongside others, alongside other creatures, while finding clarity and grounding.
Contact:
Social media: https://www.instagram.com/flowmakersswim?igsh=MWozYWJwNXhyMTh0aQ==
