Pharrell Williams is expanding his efforts to support young people in his hometown of Virginia Beach through a new free swim and surf education program.
This summer, Atlantic Park Surf launched its 2026 Next Wave initiative, a program designed to provide local youth with free access to swim and surf instruction while promoting water safety, leadership development, confidence, and community engagement.
The initiative is supported by Adidas and VIRGINIA, Williams’ creative platform. Organizers say the program aims to introduce more young people to water-based activities while creating opportunities for personal growth and skill development.
Williams, a Virginia Beach native, has remained involved in projects focused on economic development, education, and community investment in the city throughout his career. The Next Wave program is the latest effort tied to those initiatives, using Atlantic Park Surf as a way to connect local youth with new experiences and resources.
Program leaders say the initiative will help participants build confidence in and around the water while encouraging teamwork, healthy lifestyles, and community involvement.
The program welcomed more than 100 participants ages 8 to 18 from Virginia Beach Public Schools, YELLOWHAB, and the Atlantis Apartments community. Throughout the season, young people receive access to swim instruction, water safety education, surf coaching, and equipment that would otherwise be inaccessible for many families.
Participants are provided with wetsuits, surfboards, life jackets, sunscreen, and professional coaching. Lessons take place inside Atlantic Park Surf’s Wavegarden Cove lagoon, a controlled environment designed to help beginners develop skills safely before venturing into the ocean.
Williams’ estimated net worth is around $250 million, driven by music publishing, production royalties, fashion ventures, real estate investments, and executive leadership roles. He currently is, according to Celebrity Net Worth, the seventh-richest rapper in the world. His appointment as Men’s Creative Director at Louis Vuitton elevated him into the upper ranks of luxury fashion, while Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM helped establish the blueprint for premium-priced streetwear.
He also created an auction platform, JOOPITER, selling some of the possessions that he no longer needs.
Despite his global success, Virginia Beach remains a recurring theme throughout his ventures.
His Something in the Water festival was created to bring economic opportunity, tourism, and cultural visibility back to his hometown. The inaugural event generated an estimated $24 million in regional economic activity and more than $1 million in tax revenue.
He would later stop the festival after disagreeing with how the city and a grand jury handled the death of his cousin in 2021.
His Netflix-backed Voices of Fire project followed a similar model.
What began as a search for undiscovered gospel talent in Virginia evolved into a charting musical collective that has performed internationally, collaborated with major recording artists, and appeared during Louis Vuitton runway presentations. The project showcased how Williams could take a local community initiative and amplify it onto a global stage.
Next Wave may be smaller in scale, but its potential impact is significant.
The initiative was created to remove barriers that prevent young people from accessing swimming and surfing. Organizers believe water education can improve physical and mental wellness while helping participants develop resilience, confidence, and environmental awareness.
“Our team and our partners are committed to leveraging the water as a means to improve health and well-being, promote connection and community, and build confident and resilient leaders,” Atlantic Park Surf General Manager Nate Stevens said.
The program has already attracted industry recognition. After launching in 2025, Next Wave earned Surf Park Central’s Progression in Democratization & Accessibility Award for expanding access to water recreation.
For Williams, according to Surfer, the initiative represents something larger than surfing — part of a long-term strategy centered on investing in people and ensuring the next generation has access to experiences that can shape their futures. While many celebrity-backed projects focus on visibility, Next Wave focuses on access.
