Sumac Literary Magazine is named after and inspired by the staghorn sumac plant that grows on the Carleton University campus. While staghorn sumac thrives throughout the City of Ottawa, varieties of sumac are also found around the world. The Algonquin word for sumac is “Kàgàgiminaganj,” or “Kàgàgimin” meaning “fruit of the sumac.” In Algonquin communities, as in other communities and cultures, sumac plants are used in recipes, medicines, and textiles. We acknowledge that our teams and facilities are situated on the traditional and unceded territories of the Algonquin nation, and that many of us are uninvited guests on this land. We acknowledge and thank the stewards and caretakers of this land and watershed. Their presence here reaches back to time immemorial and we hope that our contribution, Sumac Literary Magazine, has a positive impact.
With an annually revolving team, we are dedicated to producing a magazine that embodies our commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility. Sumac Literary Magazine publishes work by people connected to Carleton University and/or the land it is on. Students, alumni, faculty, staff, community members, and anyone with links to our campus or community are welcome to submit their work for consideration. If you walk your dog along the waterfront, drive past the Carleton sign each morning, once applied to Carleton, or ever attended a Ravens vs Gee-Gees event (for example), your submissions are welcome.
A Note on Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility
At Sumac, we wish to uplift creative voices within the Carleton community, including those that experience marginalization and are too often underrepresented. Therefore, we encourage submissions from LGBTQ2S+ folks, racialized people, Indigenous people (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), neurodivergent folks, disabled people, and persons with intersectional identities.
While we do not require that submitters disclose information about their identities, we welcome you to share your lived experience and/or to include a note on your identity, if you feel comfortable or feel it is appropriate to do so. We believe that lived experience is expertise and that it provides important insights into the unique nuances, challenges, and perspectives that inform how each of us know and interact with the world. If included in your submission, this information may not only contextualize your work, but will also allow the Sumac team to create a magazine that deliberately reflects and speaks to the diversity of our ever-growing community.
