Sintering, or, writing as resistance

In Theory of Water, Nishnaabeg scholar, writer and musician Leanne Betasamosake Simpson explains sintering as a joining: “a communal transformation that creates a fabric of former snowflakes bonded to each other.” Skiing along a beloved creek, she observes how a snowflake “weaves itself into its environment, and it does so in a way that doesn’t destroy its neighbours.” In this, she sees a model of solidarity.

At the 2026 University of King's College Creative Writing & Storytelling Conference, I'll discuss sintering as a model for writing as resistance – weaving one’s voice in conversation with others, in solidarity and appreciation, for strength and transformation.