Sumter/April Sumter-Freitag – Believing Patients Should Be The Norm, Not The Exception

Sumter/April Sumter-Freitag
Sexual and Gender Diversity Health Equity Collaborative (HEC); Social Planner, City of Vancouver

Sumter is an eighth-generation black Canadian with Mi’Kmaq, Cherokee and Scottish ancestry born in Winnipeg and now a guest living and learning about active reconciliation on unseeded Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh territories. Sumter identifies as queer and gender non-binary and is an absence of direct knowledge of gender identities of their original culture due to their legacy of slavery and colonization. Sumter was a member of the Indigenous, Black and People of Colour Caucus and part of the Leadership team on the Health Equity Collaborative and is currently a Social Planner working with the team at Arts, Culture and Community Services at the City of Vancouver. Their former careers range from ballroom dance teacher to substance use counsellor. Sumter’s work is based on lived experience and follows an anti-oppressive practice which shows up in their writing, filmmaking and work in support of community.