This Little Light of Mine: Addena's Substack

Welcome back. I'd like to say first that I'm more than pleased you chose to take some time out and spend it with me.   I am still dipping my toes in the water and trying to produce a Newsletter that you look forward to reading.

I intend on sharing my ramblings, my writing, and questions I have about whaagwaan around us.   I’m also excited about sharing collaborations with other artists and community activists when those opportunities present themselves. I welcome your feedback.

This month was a quiet and lazy month, filled with wonderful, warm, sun-shiny days.  Flowers and gardens here are trying to get in their last hurrah, and as I take it all in, I am grateful for every day and every breath.  

End of summer plants hanging on

We took the Ferry and sailed over to Vancouver to see a few of our Friends perform some incredibly great music. You remember our musician friend Carlos Joe Costa who we shone a little light on in our last Newsletter? Well … this month we got to see him play his drums and flute in a Gig (in his professional arena) as he joined as backup band for the feature Artist, Tonye Aganaba at the “Guilt & Company” a really cool Lounge/ Live music venue in Gas Town.

An improv jazz solo by Carlos Joe Costa

We also enjoyed the Blues/Jazz/Soul music of Dutch Robinson (you may remember Dutch Robinson as the lead singer of the legendary R&B group, The Ohio Players). Dutch was accompanied on Keyboards by Montreal musician, Slim Williams, who also soloed on a few numbers.

🎶🎶🎶. Dutch Robinson and Slim Williams

What a fabulous night of music and fun and dancing! To top it all off, they had a creative and enjoyable selection of food and shareable platters. If you’re in Vancouver do check out evenings at Guilt & Company in Gas Town for drinks and live music.

I’m sure glad we took the trip over. It was a pleasure to see such talented musicians, and creators play. When we lived in Vancouver we used to go see a lot of musicians play. One of our favourites to go see was a fabulous vocalist, Phyllis Adeline Braithwaite-States. Phyllis is a Gospel/Blues/Jazz vocalist. We call her “Motown Philly”. I remember going to see Motown Philly in a club in Gas Town. She is absolutely fabulous! When her musical Set came up, I couldn’t believe that some people kept talking. I wanted them all to be quiet. I’m an actor, and when you’re on stage people in the theatre stop talking! I don’t know why, (call me naïve) but I thought when a performer was singing, people would just be quiet and listen to them perform. (I’m smiling to/at myself) I know now, that in a supper club or lounge that is not expected and rarely happens. I came home that night and wrote this poem:

Torch Singer  (for Motown Philly) 

She smiled 

Even when the waitress walked up on her stage

(to turn her volume down)  

She smiled 

Through her barely audible scats 

(so she wouldn’t shatter their illusions of ‘the blues’) 

Through laughter 

And Happy Birthday chants 

Shattered dishes 

And:

3 margaritas, and 2 light beer ! 

Through the Stand-In Drummer’s murky riffs 

And her lights being turned down   

From bright to dim, 

She closed her eyes 

Reached deep into her heart 

And released 

Sweet  

Soulful sounds 

Into the smoke 

The lights 

And the racket of the night 

And she snapped her fingers 

Swayed 

Rhythmically 

As she scatted  

“ ba dip- a dip—pa 

Doo-doo- wah”

And she smiled. 

                 ©   Addena Sumter-Freitag 

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Well, … that about covers my excitement for this month. I told you it was a quiet month. Other than just meeting deadlines for a few writing competitions (by a few hours) and looking at upcoming writers news, like the announcement of the CBC’s Short Story prize for short Fiction ( submissions still accepted until Nov 01,

There are emerging writers, poetry, playwriting, non-fiction and crime writer contests and award opportunities. Check out the link: fireflycreativewriting.com

Exciting news on the writing Homefront

The Victoria Writers’ Society (September Newsletter) featured, the announcement of my new website and news about my books being launched in their Member News section. 

I’ve come to learn that as an artist, in any genre, you are always engaged in shameless self-promotion.  Artists face a constant struggle to get their work out in the world for people to see, hear, read, (all the while hoping it resonates with them and they recommend your work to others) so I was extremely grateful to The Victoria Writers’ Society Newsletter for including that announcement. 

 See, I’m learning to reach out to my village.     

This was the announcement in the Victoria Writers’ Society Newsletter: My name is Addena Sumer-Freitag.  I am a 7^th Generation Black Canadian from a family of now 10 Generations born in Canada.  Presently I live and write from Victoria, B.C.

I am over the moon at announcing that my new Website is Live. My books, “Stay Black & Die” and “Back In The Days” are now available in both Print and eBook formats.  The eBooks are available at most digital outlets.  Print books can be ordered from my Website. The books are a mix of memoir, poetry, and stories that take you back into worlds hidden, forgotten, repressed, and denied.  I am truly grateful and humbled at the review comments, like:

“She challenges literary form in order to bring her stories and characters fully alive, inviting the reader to love them, hate them, identify with, and wonder at them.”

I have learned it takes a village, so I am asking all of you to help me spread the exciting news.

 Thanks in advance everyone.   
♥️
Addena https://addenasumterfreitag.com

Before I sign out, I just want to encourage you all to take it easy. Take some personal or alone time to just chill. Also remember to start taking precautions again to prevent Covid and the flu. In the past two weeks I have six Friends who tested positive for Covid. Two of them had quite severe symptoms (even though they’re all vaccinated). The good thing about that happening to them is that none of them had to be hospitalized, and all of them are still alive!

So .. please Mask Up when you’re in a crowd, or shopping in the mall, or any place with a lot of people.

Also, try not to watch too much TV/News. I know for me - too much news and politics really dampens my spirits. It hurts my Soul to see the resurgence of Racism and Homophobia. I believe this fear of others that you perceive as different, this Us V/S Them-isms , (now so prevalent our communities) and these hateful attitudes and beliefs are the deadliest of viruses, so let’s join together to fight against them.

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In Your Honour I Will Not Break 

I have witnessed   

Lightning storms 

Seas of monsters 

Mothers of Mothers 

Fighting endlessly for freedom and equality

Bent 

But not broken.

So even wounded I must stand

To honour them

To finish the battles and wars they fought against the hate and intolerance waged against them

Like them

I may bend

But I give them my solemn promise

I will not break.

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A few memories of family and book events and performances to cheer us up ♥️♥️

Performing and relaxing with family memories