In a world that often feels like it’s closing in, Black women are seeking new ways to breathe. More of us are doing it through hobbies—activities that may have once seemed niche, childish, or even frivolous. From building LEGO sets and growing herbs on the windowsill to candle-making and roller skating, we’re turning to joy, creativity, and community as radical forms of self-preservation.
This isn’t about trend-chasing. It’s about survival.
Over the past few years, the emotional weight Black women carry has only grown heavier. We’re watching high-profile stories of Black women being harmed or dismissed—Halle Bailey, Megan Thee Stallion, and Angel Reese, just to name a few—while also navigating the everyday microaggressions, policy rollbacks, and social media debates that question our worth at every turn.
We felt it during Kamala Harris’s campaign, and again in the aftermath of her withdrawal from the 2024 race. The first Black woman vice president—the symbol of so much possibility—was routinely disrespected, downplayed, and scapegoated. For many Black women, her experience wasn’t just political; it was personal. It was a public reminder that even at the highest levels of power, our brilliance is often undervalued and our presence contested.
The backlash to visible Black womanhood doesn’t end there. When a statue of a young Black woman was unveiled in Times Square by artist Thomas J Price, it sparked immediate controversy. Despite its beauty and intention, the mere presence of a Black woman in a position of reverence in such a public space was enough to make people uncomfortable. The world’s response to that statue said what many of us already knew: our humanity still feels radical to some.
And the rollback of DEI initiatives only compounds these challenges. Without programs that advocate for fair hiring and advancement, Black women face increased job loss and limited career mobility. The stress of workplace exclusion, financial instability, and the erasure of hard-won progress directly impacts our self-worth, confidence, and overall mental well-being.
As the spaces once designed to support us shrink, many of us are creating our own safe havens through hobbies.
Take LEGO, for example. The hashtag #BlackGirlsDoLEGO has taken off on TikTok thanks to creators like Alyssa Evans, whose return to a childhood activity has sparked new avenues of creativity and healing. Building with LEGO is often seen as a pastime reserved for kids or male hobbyists, but for Black women, it’s becoming something else entirely: a meditative practice, a reclaiming of imagination, and a quiet rebellion against the pressure to always be productive.
@uhleesuh01 two floating shelves, one acrylic shelf and now one bookcase, but still not enough space @LEGO #lego #legos #legotiktok #legotiktoker #legotiktokers #legodisplay#legodisplays #fyp #fypシ #fypage ♬ Butterfly – UMI
Then there’s roller skating—a hobby with deep roots in Black culture, but one that has often excluded Black women from the spotlight in modern wellness spaces. Creators Dasia Sade and Kamry James have inspired thousands by sharing her skating journey, reminding Black women that movement can be playful, liberating, and healing. There’s a certain freedom in strapping on skates and reclaiming the sidewalk or the boardwalk. It’s exercise, yes—but it’s also self-expression. It’s a chance to be in your body without apology, to glide through the noise with music in your ears and wind on your face. In a culture that constantly polices how we move through the world, roller skating becomes a joyful resistance.
@kamrylorin Such an awkwardly beautiful moment #rollerskatersoftiktok #rollerskatingdance #rollerskating #blackgirlrollerskater ♬ original sound – Kamrylorin
And then there’s the growing movement to “dilly dally”—or do nothing at all—led by creator Dasia Nyas, whose #DidYouDillyDallyToday content reminds us that not everything we do has to have a goal or a hustle attached. In a world that constantly demands excellence and overachievement from Black women, choosing to do something random, mindless, or simply fun becomes its own quiet revolution. Whether it’s painting your nails badly, wandering a thrift store with no intention to buy, or watching reality TV for the drama and nothing else, this movement is about giving yourself permission to be—without needing to explain, perform, or perfect.
@sweirdest♬ original sound – Sweirdest
Their pages are more than just aesthetic. They’re meditative and inspiring, showing us that play can be a form of healing.
The truth is, Black women are exhausted. We’re tired of being told to be strong. We’re tired of always being the advocates, the organizers, the protectors. And we’re tired of being ignored when we say we’re not okay.
That’s why hobbies aren’t just hobbies for us. They’re reclamation.
They’re moments where no one is asking us to lead the march or carry the weight—just to create, to laugh, to feel, to rest.
Whether it’s a book club diving into Octavia Butler, a hiking group reclaiming trails, or knitting circles passing on culture with every stitch, we’re carving out joy wherever we can. We’re not waiting for a safer world. We’re building one for ourselves, one hobby at a time.
Because when the world tries to make us small, choosing joy is one of the most powerful things we can do.
