Becoming a lifeguard was something my pool rat friends and I looked forward to from an early age. It was the ultimate goal. My friends and I were part of a world very unlike the one we were born into. We were on the swimming team in East Los Angeles. We spent as much of our time as possible in our bathing suits under the sun. Hierarchies at the pool were formed based on swimming speed and technique. The faster and more experienced a swimmer was, the more popular he became. We had power and control over this part of our lives and we looked up to those in the red-and-white uniforms. The lifeguards had gone through it all: swimming lessons, swim team and passed all the tests. Those who were our coaches were the most revered. They had wisdom to impart, and had everything figured out. I wanted to have everything figured out as well. My journey to lifeguarding began as a child during trips to the public pool when my dad would get …