Welcome back. Thank you for taking time out to join me again. Knowing you make time to join me when you can, makes me really happy.
I hope this last month shaped up nicely for you. I hope you got to enjoy some of the people you love and got to do some of the things you love to do.
June was a strange month for me. The month seemed to fly by and yet in some ways it seemed excruciatingly long.
Sadly, this month the world lost a few really great people. Personally, Irvin, April, and I had some wonderful longtime friends that passed.
I remember when I was a kid, I heard the phrase “Death is a Mystery.” I believe that phrase was coined because Death is sometimes hard to accept, understand, and cope with. We all process and deal with it differently.
I used to be afraid of death until my sister June died. Her sons Doug and Toby and Irvin and I were with her at the Hospice when her Spirit left her body. She was on a Morphine IV to ease her pain, and I was holding her hand:
After my sister June died, I missed her so much. I felt like my heart was breaking from grief. I felt depressed, I felt angry, and I didn’t know what to do with those feelings. I did what I do when I’m overcome with emotions, I wrote. I wrote many poems and stories for and about my Sister and our lives together as I spiraled through my grieving process.
I still grieve the loss of my Sister, but mostly I celebrate her life and the memories we had together. She took on the role of Sister, Mother, Friend, and Mentor to me.
I celebrate that she comforted me and protected me as much as she could. She gave me encouragement and support to pursue acting and writing. She gave me my love for travel. She encouraged me to be courageous, and to stand up to … everyone.
She was my Shining Star!
When I look up at a night sky filled with stars, and one of those stars goes shooting across the sky, I know that streak of light is my Sister’s Spirit lighting up the sky.
Her Spirt is blessing us and helping to us stay in awe at the wonders of the universe.
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June is the beginning of many festivals and other Celebrations. 🎉🎉🎉
We’ve had a Strawberry festivals, and Farmer’s garden festivals, Craft Beer Festivals, and I haven’t even mentioned all the Music Festivals here in Victoria and around The Island this summer. I bet you have lots of happenings in your city these summer months too. Check all your Events information sites. Let’s also share news about some other Celebrations, past and upcoming that we hear about our we’re going to check out.
C🇦nada Pride Festivals and Celebrations.
In Canada we are allowed to light up our bridges and city buildings and fly our Pride Flags everywhere! On June 14th, the TD Bank and the Toronto Blue Jays had “Pride Night” at the baseball game at Roger’s Stadium with special Hats and Prizes to Celebrate our LGBTQ+ Community and Gay Pride Month in Toronto. So, if you or any of your friends are flying or driving across Canada for holidays, you’d probably have fun checking out the music and entertainment, and joining the community at any of these events:
Pride Canada Celebrations from: June 01 to August 15th
Montreal Pride Celebrations August 01- August 11, 2024 Montreal Pride Parade: Sunday, August 11th 10:00 am https://g.co/kgs/aHEZEcB
Yellowknife Pride August 06- August 11, 2024
August 6th to 11th ... Yellowknife Pride is annual outreach and celebration festival, aimed at bringing the community together to show support for 2SLGBTQIA+ ...
Yellowknife Pride History:
Long before NWT Pride existed, A group called “Out North”, born out of a national organization called, EGALE (Equality for Gays and Lesbians) led the Queer Community in Yellowknife. They helped organize LGBTQ+ events.
They had two missions:
1. Lobbying municipal and Territorial Governments for Gay and Lesbian Rights
2. Securing protections and creating Visible social events for Queer people.
One of their great successes was the City of Yellowknife’s adoption of Pride Day, on June 10, 1998.
Oh… And I can’t leave out the successes of their Dances. “Out North” threw the best dances ever!
Especially for Valentines Day.
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Not everyone is accepting, respectful, and inclusive to LGBTQ+ individuals. Women and many minority groups are often the targets of prejudice and hate.
This is especially true in Rural, Northern, and many Religious communities.
For those who grew up in those communities, if you were Queer, identified as Queer, or someone even thought you were Queer, you had to navigate a hostile environment. I wasn’t safe. You had to learn how to brawl just to insure you’d survive. Not to forget the fact if you came out (or were outed) it could jeopardize your job or career.
On top of that, you were often victim to verbal and physical assaults, and threats of sexual violence. Many relationships couldn’t survive, and many people didn’t survive.
She Was Beautiful Before They Killed Her
She was beautiful before they killed her
Wild
Winsome
FREE
Some days we’d climb way up the Rock face of Tower Hill
And find a little spot on the top big enough to have a picnic
She'd fling off her shoes
And dance barefoot on the moss
Wild!
And sweet as the wind in the forest
She was.
She loved to let her breasts
Peep through her buttons
And wear her stomach out.
The tiny hairs 'round her navel
Glistened in the sunlight
Like sequins.
Her walk…
Was like a sultry Samba.
Her smile
would blind you with delight.
And I'd just sit there
On the ground
And watch her dance
And marvel that she loved me.
Loved US
So much
She couldn’t help but share it.
Bitch!
Dyke
(They called her once they heard)
A good stiff one would set you Straight
You aren’t a Lesbian! ..
You just need a Man
Bitch.
I watched her wilt.
Saw her shoulders sag
She covered up.
And shuffled when she walked
And rarely could I coax her smile out
It
Like the fire in her eyes
Had died.
And I mourn
I MOURN
She was beautiful
Before they killed her.
@ Addena Sumter-Freitag
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
Last days of the Victoria Jazz Festival June 28,29,30.
See the schedule: https://jazzvictoria.ca/td-jazzfest-2024-schedule/
Canada Day Celebrations Canada Day Picnic on Gorge Road
July 01 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Irvin and I will have 2 tables at The Gorge Canada Day Picnic
Irvin will have a table of his leather crafts, and I will have a table with my books.
Come on out and enjoy food, music, crafts, markets, and fun on Canada Day! July 01.
Since 1999, the Gorge Tillicum Community Association has hosted The Gorge Canada Day Picnic along the beautiful Gorge Waterway Park in south Saanich. The event has now grown into one of the premier Canada Day celebrations in the Greater Victoria region, drawing thousands of people to this popular and traffic-free family event.
https://www.gorgecanadaday.ca/
July 11,2024 I was invited to be a part of another Art and Poetry event.
The featured poets will write poetry on the Art Exhibit: Jewish Letters by: Brian Gluckman
Pandora's Collective & The JCC Present ART & POETRY IN THE GALLERY Free admission Poets will respond with original work inspired by the art exhibit. Bring paper and pen. There will be an open mic time when the audience will have an opportunity to write and read poems relating to the exhibit. Time: 7:00 - 8:45 pm Featured Poets:
Jude Neale
Addena Sumter-Freitag
Eva Waldauf
Sophea Heang
Host; Bonnie Nish
Location: Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery Jewish Community Centre (Gallery Room) 950 41st Ave W Vancouver, BC
950 W 41st Ave #200, Vancouver, BC V5Z 2N7
Rest In Peace Timothy John
Timothy “Tim” John has been our daughter April’s BFF since
they met in their Theatre program at Lord Bing High School in Vancouver. He has been our family friend since then, and we have shared many life adventures, changes, and experiences together.
Timothy was proud to be reputed to be a connoisseur of great food, great wines, and great liquors. When he ordered outrageously expensive imported wines (I think to impress us of his knowledge of them 😊) he always insisted he spring for the cost.
Timothy and us all love food, of every ethnic variety, so we shared many meals together. He, (like April and I) was a great cook, so he cooked for us, and we cooked for him, or we’d have a Potluck. We all loved having Potlucks and invited our other friends to join us for many occasions. Especially for Kwanza Feast Potluck.
Tim took us to fabulous restaurants he discovered, and we did the same to him. One of all of our favourite things to do was to see who could find the greatest Dim Sum restaurants. Those didn’t have to be fancy, they just had be the most delicious Dim Sum ever!
Timothy John, we will miss having you in our lives. We Love you.
Plenty of light shone through this issue Addena. I can so relate to losing a sister. I was on a plane flying to where I would be seeing her when while at a BBQ a tree fell on her and she passed. So heartbreaking still. I think of her often. So I can empathize with you. I’m so glad you got to hold her hand. I just wish …..
Another thoughtful and emotional writing Addena. Thank you for sharing.
Plenty of light shone through this issue Addena. I can so relate to losing a sister. I was on a plane flying to where I would be seeing her when while at a BBQ a tree fell on her and she passed. So heartbreaking still. I think of her often. So I can empathize with you. I’m so glad you got to hold her hand. I just wish …..