>> ONE MORE, YOU'RE DONE.
ONE MORE.
>> EACH SATURDAY THE STAFF AT THE YMCA CLEAR OUT THE POOL AND
LOCKER ROOM EARLY.
THEY SEND THE MALE LIFEGUARDS HOME.
FEMALE LIFE GUARD NICOLE CALLS FOR A SPECIAL AFTER HOURS
LESSON.
>> THE BIGGEST PROCESS IS SHUTTING DOWN THE REST OF THE
YMCA.
IT CLOSES AT 3:00 O'CLOCK AT THE SAME TIME THE WOMEN ARRIVE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE MEN ARE OUT OF THE POOL AREA.
WE CLOSE THE POOL HALF AN HOUR BEFORE THE YMCA CLOSES.
WE CLOSE THE DOORS.
MAKE SURE THE MEN ARE OUT AND OPEN UP THE BACK SO WE CAN HAVE
A FLOW OF PEOPLE OUT AND IN AT THE SAME TIME.
>> A GROUP OF ABOUT 15 EAST AFRICAN WOMEN FILE THROUGH THE
BACK DOORS FOR A WOMEN ONLY SWIM CLASS.
THE YMCA BEGAN TO OFFER IT THIS SPRING AFTER A GROUP OF MUSLIM
WOMEN TOLD THE DIRECTORS THEY CAN'T SWIM IN FRONT OF MEN.
SARAH LEADS THE GROUP.
>> WE ARE EAST AFRICAN WOMEN.
THEY DON'T WANT TO COME TO SOCIALIZE WITH MEN.
THE WOMEN, MEN CONDITION BE VIEWING THEM.
>> EVEN IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER THE WOMEN STAY COVERED UP IN
RASH GUARDS AND T SHIRTS.
SOME ORDERED SPECIAL ISLAMIC SWIM SUITS FOR THE CLASS.
MARIAM SAYS THEY'RE HARD TO FIND AND EXPENSIVE.
>> THIS IS THE SWIM SUIT IT COVERS YOUR HEAD AND YOUR BOTTOM
PART.
THIS IS THE PANTS.
IT COVERS ALL OF YOUR LEGS.
LIKE THAT.
THIS IS THE CAP THAT COVERS YOUR HEAD.
SO ONLY YOUR FACE IS SHOWN AND YOUR HAIR IS COVERED.
IT'S NOT EASY TO FIND.
I DON'T HAVE ONE.
YOU CAN LIKE FIND IT ON-LINE.
>> FOR MANY OF THE WOMEN AND THEIR DAUGHTERS THIS IS THE
FIRST TIME THEY HAVE BEEN IN A POOL.
>> KIDS HAVE NEVER -- THEY KNOW THEIR WAY AROUND THE POOL.
EVERYONE THAT COMES IN THEY ARE LIKE, CAN WE DO THIS AND THAT.
CAN DO I IT AND GET IT IN.
CAN WE START THE LESSON NOW.
THEY WANTED TO LEARN AND NOT JUST SPLASH AROUND.
>> THIS WOMAN SAYS SHE HASN'T BEEN IN THE WATER SINCE SHE WAS
A TEENAGER IN ETHIOP YA.
SHE'S LEARNING ALL OVER AGAIN WITH HER 3 AND 5-YEAR-OLD
DAUGHTERS.
>> THE FIRST TIME IT WAS SCARY AND EXCITING.
IT'S VERY GOOD.
TO SEE THEM IN THE SHALLOW.
NOT IN THE DEEP.
IT'S VERY NICE.
THE WATER IS WARM AND SOMEONE IS HELPING US.
IT'S VERY ENJOYABLE.
PARTICULARLY IF YOU LIKE THE WATER.
I WANT THEM TO GROW UP LIKE NORMAL CHILDREN AND LEARN HOW TO
SWIM.
I WANT THEM TO HAVE FUN.
THEY'RE HAVING FUN.
THEY'RE VERY EXCITED.
>> THE CLASSES AREN'T JUST ABOUT COOLING OFF AND HAVING FUN.
THEY ARE THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING EXERCISE MORE ACCESSIBLE
FOR MUSLIM WOMEN IN CITY HEIGHTS.
>> THEY HAVE DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
GO EXERCISE THEY SAY.
BUT WHERE DO THEY DO IT.
>> THERE ARE NO GENDER SEPARATED GYMS IN CITY HEIGHTS LIKE THEIR
HOME COUNTRIES.
ACTIVITIES LIKE WALKING THROUGH THE PARK ON A WARM DAY CAN BE
HARD.
THE WOMEN HAVE TO BE COVERED HEAD TO TOE.
THE WOMEN WORRY ABOUT SAFETY IN THE PARKS ALSO.
>> IN CITY HEIGHTS THERE ARE GANGS AND A LOT OF CRIMINAL
ACTIVITIES AROUND THE PARK.
SOMETIMES WHEN A WOMAN GO THERE PEOPLE CALL THEM NAMES.
THEY PUSH THEM OUT.
IT'S SCARY FOR THEM TO BE AT THE PARKS.
>> IN CITY HEIGHTS COMMUNITY PARKS LIKE THIS ONE HERE ARE
OFTEN UNDER UTILIZED BECAUSE RESIDENTS PERCEIVE THEM AS BEING
UNSAFE.
FOR THESE WOMEN THIS ARE CULTURAL BARRIERS ALSO.
>> -- NOT CLEAN.
OFTEN THE DOGS ARE WILD.
THAT KIND OF FEAR IS WITH US WHEN I SEE DOGS AND EAST AFRICAN
WOMEN SEE DOGS WE TEND TO BE SCARED.
THE CULTURE ARE ALSO -- >> THE YMCA PLANS TO OPEN A NEW
FACILITY IN 2014.
THE WOMEN SAY THEY HOPE THE NEW GYM WILL GIVE THEM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE YOGA, USE TREAD MILLS AND KEEP
SWIMMING.
>> THEY'RE HOPEFUL.
WE'RE PART OF THE SEW SUIT.
>> IF WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE SERVICES OTHER PEOPLE HAVE
IT MAKES US ISOLATED.
IT'S BREAKING A BARRIER THAT WE.
HAVE SO OUR DAUGHTERS WHO ARE AS AMERICAN AS ANYONE ELSE CAN SWIM
OR DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
SO THERE IS NO LIMITATIONS IN THE FUTURE.
>> Dwane: MEAGAN BURKS REPORTING FOR SPEAKS CITY HEIGHTS.
FOR MORE OF HER STORIES ON CITY HEIGHTS VISIT
SPEAKSCITYHEIGHTS.ORG.