Renee Hess and hockey were never supposed to meet. But when they did, Renee’s nascent fandom inspired game changing community action, as the Black Girl Hockey Club was born.

SHOW NOTES

Presented by Leafs Forever, Barrier Breakers is a mini-series about race, hockey and the way forward.

The show aims to celebrate Black players and fans who’ve broken barriers and helped change our game for the better.

Today’s episode tells the story of Renee Hess, the founder of Black Girl Hockey Club. It charts her journey from hockey oblivious to hockey obsessed, and then charts the creation of the BGHC. After starting out as a social group on Twitter, the BGHC has become one of the most important voices in hockey advocacy. It hosts community events. It helps cover playing costs for young Black women. And it aims to fight racism and welcome new communities into the hockey world.

In 2020, Black Girl Hockey Club launched its ‘Get Uncomfortable’ campaign, along with its anti-racism pledge. The document lays out a clear and collective direction for the sport on issues of racism, equity and inclusion.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have joined other NHL teams in signing the pledge. And we call on all of Leafs Nation to do the same. To learn more and add your name, visit Black Girl Hockey Club's website.

And to see the video Scott refers to in the episode of 11 year-old BGHC scholarship winner Canari Yonas, visit here.

This is the first episode of Barrier Breakers. Future episodes will come out every week for the next six weeks. Subscribe to Leafs Forever and please write us a review.

Producer: Katie Jensen, Vocal Fry Studios

Writer: Scott Willats & Paul Matthews

Director of Production: Shawna Morrison

Executive Producer: Michael Gelfand

Associate Producers: Renita Bangert, Emily Latimer, Erika Dreher, Savanna Hamilton

Special Thanks: Akil Augustine, Michael Bartlett, Toni Francis, Jordan Hayles, Justin Bobb