Finding Community at the Y: Laura Barnett's Story
I’m a native Brooklynite and my family went to the Y when we were growing up. As an adult, I joined for the amazing swimming pools. Swimming has always been part of my life and we started our son in “Baby and Me” class when he was 6 months old. Now he’s 14 and is working toward his lifesaving certificate.
"The Y is perfect for my family. We all find different activities — swimming, weights, yoga — then meet up afterwards. What I love most about the Y is how it brings people together. New York City can be so rushed and noisy and anonymous. Not the Y. In the locker room, I have conversations with people I never would otherwise. With our country so divided, we need places like that." — Laura Barnett |
The Y is perfect for my family. It’s a place we can all enjoy. My son will be in the pool while my husband does weights and I take a class… we all find different activities to enjoy and then meet up afterwards. My son sometimes hangs out and reads a book. It works so well for us.
What I love the most about the Y is how it brings people together. New York City can feel so rushed and noisy and anonymous. But I don’t feel that at the Y. Every time I’m in the locker room, for example, I have a great conversation with someone who would not be part of my regular day-to-day. With our country so divided, we need places like that. It’s powerful.