Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is a highly regarded Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg scholar, writer, and artist. She is a member of Alderville First Nation and has gained recognition as one of the most powerful Indigenous voices of her generation. Simpson's work combines story, politics, and song, immersing audiences in a rich world of sound, light, and sovereign creativity.

For two decades, Simpson has worked as an independent scholar using Nishnaabeg intellectual practices. She has lectured and taught at universities across Canada and the United States and has extensive experience with Indigenous land-based education. Holding a PhD from the University of Manitoba, Simpson currently teaches at the Dechinta Centre for Research & Learning in Denendeh. She has written six previous books, including "This Accident of Being Lost," which won the MacEwan University Book of the Year and was a finalist for several other awards. Her latest book, "As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom Through Radical Resistance," was published in 2017 and received the Best Subsequent Book award from the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association. Her new novel, "Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies," was released in fall 2020.

In addition to her work as a writer, Simpson is also a musician who combines poetry, storytelling, songwriting, and performance in collaboration with musicians to create unique spoken songs and soundscapes. Her third record, "The Theory of Ice," will be released in 2021. Simpson's work challenges and inspires audiences, offering a powerful and compelling vision of Indigenous creativity, resistance, and resurgence.