Philadelphia, PA – Armed with a petition with over 55,000 signatures, ColorOfChange.org today called on the U.S. Department of Justice and Attorney General Eric Holder to open an investigation into allegations of discrimination at the Valley Swim Club in Huntingdon Valley, PA. The petition and call for action are in direct response to an incident at the club two weeks ago involving 65 African American and Latino children who were forced to leave the club and asked not to return.
“Standing up now isn’t just about making things right for these kids in Philadelphia or bringing consequences to the Valley Swim Club,” said James Rucker, executive director of ColorOfChange.org. “We must create a climate of accountability. The Valley Swim Club must be held accountable so that others think twice before engaging in what appears to be blatant discrimination.”
In just a few short days since the petition launched on July 9, ColorOfChange.org has gathered over 55,000 signatures condemning the Valley Swim Club and urging the Justice Department to open a civil rights inquiry into the case.
Two weeks ago, a group of 65 African American and Hispanic kids were forced to leave Valley Swim Club reportedly because of their race. This despite the fact that their day camp, Creative Steps, had a summer-long contract with the club allowing the kids to swim there. The following day, Valley Swim Club’s president canceled Creative Steps membership and refunded their payment, claiming that “a lot of kids would change the complexion…and atmosphere of the club.”
“Where I’m from, complexion means the color of my skin and nothing else,” said Michael Wellington, a ColorOfChange member. “Today, decades after Jim Crow, we simply won’t stand here and let someone say that I can’t use a pool because of the color of my skin. That’s not what our country is about, and we can’t stand for it. The government needs to step up and punish the Valley Swim Club to the full extent of the law for their behavior.”
For more information or to add your name to the petition, visit www.colorofchange.org/swim.
With more than half a million members, ColorOfChange.org is the largest African-American online political organization in the country.