Playing while Black as resistance: Black Canadian life writing on a community recreation playworker ‘playing the game’

The purpose of this critical autoethnographic study was to better understand the impact of anti-Black racism and connected oppressions on Black play experiences in a work context that surrounds play. The study explores my play experiences at work as a multiply marginalized (and privileged) Black-Canadian community recreation playworker. Analysis of my memories showed playing the game as the through thread. The sub-themes of playing the game show the nuances of my leaning into and away from play while navigating anti-Blackness and other isms: (1) Dealing with Black Death as a Damper on Playing While Black, (2) I Could Never: Toy Gun Play While Black & Jogging While Black, (3) Shooting Hoops: Ballin’ While Black in the Office, and (4) Slinging Slang: Playing with Language While Black. I close with discussing the finding’s implications for theory and future research directions.