Jada Keen '23 Recruiting Profile

While training for the premier swim meet, Western Zones, the only public pool in our county was shut down due to undefined covid guidelines. As sports kicked into action, swimming was excluded. The CDC announced that public swimming pools were not hot spots for the spread of COVID-19, but the county remained silent and the pools remained closed. Swimming in Western Zones was my shot to “go to a mainlan’ sku,” as my Grandpa Abellera would say. On our tiny island, my father raised me wanting to attend a college on the mainland, knowing that there are more resources available. I was not the only student-athlete in this situation, many of my teammates use swimming as a catalyst for their future. 

Regardless of the situation, our team persisted and we practiced in the ocean every day. Our day-to-day routine included walking through a homeless encampment that established itself on the pier. Still, we’d throw our caps on and head out to sea. 

Frustrated that our sport was left out, I wrote a letter to Governor Ige, Mayor Mitch Roth, and the County of Hawaii, addressing and calling action to the unjust and unsafe circumstances. I felt like a sitting duck, and decided to post my own petition on change.org. I spread the petition online on social media, rallying for change. 

“I’m signing because I believe you and many others deserve the chance to swim in a nice stable safe environment…” was the first comment I read after realizing we’d gained 200 supporters overnight! This encouraged me to keep educating our community about the unequal resources.

With over 750 supporters, we were back in the pools a few months later.

The voices of complainers are loud, but the voices of leaders reach far and wide. The act of taking initiative does so much more than you think it might. My commitment to positive change in communities drives me to take action against injustices. Insistence will make your voice heard. There is no time to wait for others to react, there is only time to respond with action.