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When I left my job at 18 Million Rising, I told myself that I would slow down and focus on the things that gave me joy. Even though it’s been a year since I moved to Sweden, it’s now during this summer vacation that my days are free.
It’s the first true vacation I’ve had since I was 16 because I’ve always worked at the farmer’s market, done an internship, and/or had a full time job. So to have a summer in which I can choose how I fill up my days makes me feel incredibly lucky (but not in the problematic TikTok Lucky Girl Syndrome way that ignores privilege and systemic bias).
So what’s my day to day right now?
It’s 40% work (but the good kind!):
working with the lovely women at reimagine collective on campaigns on homelessness prevention and getting a progressive budget – if you’re looking for a badass, competent team look no further!
Thinking in any language but Swedish during my Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) classes – anyone who immigrates is entitled to free classes
It’s 60%:
biking to my new ceramics studio along the water
learning to sew on the machine = ripping out wonky seams and beaming over my projects
spending time with friends, including some who are visiting me from home!
This summer has shown me how restorative and lovely it is to have the agency to choose how to spend my time and to not have to work unless I want to.
I’m sad the summer is ending, but my second year of the Master’s in Political Communications at the University of Gothenburg starts in a week, which I am blessed to get to attend for free. It’s comforting to know a country exists where access to education and healthcare are considered human rights, and that it’s possible to have that in the U.S. too if we keep organizing for it.
West Coast Swedish Pastry Rankings



The west coast of Sweden is very beautiful in the summer. Blue skies, 70 degrees, Swedes are in a good mood and to top it off, the pastries.
On the left, we have a blueberry cinnamon cake from Pipers, a local bakery in Hamburgsund, which is an idyllic seaside town. A classic for a seaside fika.
In the middle, we have cakes and pastries from Sjögrens i backen which is an especially cozy cafe in Grebbestad. 8/10 with extra points for atmosphere.
On the right, we have different bullar from Bullen & Brödet in Göteborg, which is a 10/10. They are moist and caramelized, but you will have to trek the steep hills in Masthugget to get there.
Things we should care about
The local organizing around the Maui wildfires, the deadliest wildfire in modern U.S. history. Natives are asking people to not travel to Maui, resources are needed for locals who have lost everything in the wildfire. There are a few ways to donate: Venmo for local families. Hawai’i Community Foundation. Maui Food Bank. Papa Ola Lōkahi
Things I’m loving right now
Taking this little doodad everywhere especially as COVID cases are rising
Knowing where to source high quality masks to protect myself and others
This abolitionist review of the Barbie movie
Going through my childhood favorites and learning new ones