Blackness Is a Gift I Can Give Her
On Race, Community, and Black Women in Hockey
From the founder of Black Girl Hockey Club, a collection of deeply insightful and piercing essays shedding light on the history of Black excellence in hockey, the future of Black joy within the sport, and the ways we can all do better when it comes to recognizing—and upheaving—systemic and institutionalized racism.
Growing up, R. Renee Hess didn’t care for hockey. In fact, she was barely aware of it. She was born and raised in Southern California, hardly a hot spot for the game, despite the state having three NHL teams. But, as Hess puts it, she is “a fan of being a fan,” and when she found herself stuck in traffic after a Pittsburgh Penguins game, the streets filled with cheers,…