Where Are the Black Voices in the Play Conversation?

Thoughts on play, joy, and whose stories get told

Lately, I’ve been diving deep into the subject of play. Especially how important it is for grown folks to reconnect with joy and creativity. In my search for books about play for adults, I noticed something.

When you search for books about play — especially written for adults — the same names keep coming up. And, most of them are white, male, and writing from a very specific lens.

This isn’t shade. Some of the work is genuinely helpful. But it gave me pause.

Because if you know anything about Black culture, you know that play, joy, imagination, and making something out of nothing have always been part of how we live, love, and survive. So, why isn’t that showing up more in mainstream conversation?

I started digging, and while I didn’t find many books specifically about play written by Black authors, I did find a few that carry the same energy and intention:

✨ Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
✨ Black Joy edited by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
✨ Creative Hustle by Olatunde Sobomehin and Sam Seidel

These books speak to something deeper. Play is not just fun. It is a tool for healing, for connection, for liberation. And Black folks have been embodying that for generations through movement, music, imagination, and joy.

Help Me Build a Better List

I want to build a more complete list. So, I’m asking you: Who are the Black thinkers, creatives, or cultural voices that shaped your understanding of play, joy, or imagination?

They don’t need to be academics or authors. Maybe it’s your grandmother. A poet. A musician. An artist. Someone who reminded you that play could still be sacred.

Leave a comment, and let me know. I’d love to gather your answers and share them in a future letter so we can keep the conversation going.

Out in These Internet Streets

• Heavy into the audiobooks lately and I recently started listening to Audre & Bash are Just Friends by Tia Williams and Styles of Joy by SC Perot.

• Drawing tropical birds with Danny Gregory on his weekly Draw With Me YouTube series.

• Attended Cincinnati’s first CreatorCon hosted by Dooley Social Studio.

• And, was introduced to a really cool artist, Jason DeMeo who gave an excellent opening keynote.

• Started using The Five Minute Journal and it’s been helping me embrace being delusional.