Gail Swanson
@joyinthecenter.bsky.social
Founder of Haymarket Studio
UX | Trauma-informed Design | User Research | Writer | Artist
I ask a lot of questions.
I make things.
Buy some art https://linktr.ee/haymarketstudio
UX | Trauma-informed Design | User Research | Writer | Artist
I ask a lot of questions.
I make things.
Buy some art https://linktr.ee/haymarketstudio
In the non-stop racing to innovation, when do we get to enjoy all these solutions we launched? I mean, can we pause for a minute and enjoy eating the bread together?
February 17, 2026 at 4:45 AM
In the non-stop racing to innovation, when do we get to enjoy all these solutions we launched? I mean, can we pause for a minute and enjoy eating the bread together?
Reposted by Gail Swanson
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
February 15, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
For centuries, learning starts with the labor intensive manual tasks that technology may have replaced. The information learned in those steps are crucial for later complexity. You learn the qualities of materials and tools deeply and that unlocks imagination.
Experts seek to speed up at work all the time, and offloading certain aspects of tasks is a typical way to do this. However, when you're building understanding, you often need to slow down to speed up -- invest in the deliberate practice that will underlie later fluent automaticity
February 15, 2026 at 6:30 PM
For centuries, learning starts with the labor intensive manual tasks that technology may have replaced. The information learned in those steps are crucial for later complexity. You learn the qualities of materials and tools deeply and that unlocks imagination.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
I helped mobilize a group of neighbors to provide direct aid to nearly 50 families who are in hiding from ICE.
These folks deserve fresh, familiar foods. So we're purchasing groceries direct from neighborhood Latino markets whenever we can.
Venmo @kristina-halvorson to help, and please repost.
These folks deserve fresh, familiar foods. So we're purchasing groceries direct from neighborhood Latino markets whenever we can.
Venmo @kristina-halvorson to help, and please repost.
February 14, 2026 at 4:44 PM
I helped mobilize a group of neighbors to provide direct aid to nearly 50 families who are in hiding from ICE.
These folks deserve fresh, familiar foods. So we're purchasing groceries direct from neighborhood Latino markets whenever we can.
Venmo @kristina-halvorson to help, and please repost.
These folks deserve fresh, familiar foods. So we're purchasing groceries direct from neighborhood Latino markets whenever we can.
Venmo @kristina-halvorson to help, and please repost.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all my solo pals out there!
February 15, 2026 at 12:37 AM
Happy Valentine’s Day to all my solo pals out there!
Reposted by Gail Swanson
Scathing indictment of American #capitalism by a conservative economist. Explains why everything from jobs to shopping is getting shittier. We can evict the goons from DC (the sooner the better), but unless we rein back "financialization," the decline will continue.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/o...
Opinion | The Finance Industry Is a Grift. Let’s Start Treating It That Way.
www.nytimes.com
February 14, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Scathing indictment of American #capitalism by a conservative economist. Explains why everything from jobs to shopping is getting shittier. We can evict the goons from DC (the sooner the better), but unless we rein back "financialization," the decline will continue.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/o...
My unpopular opinion- The musical Hamilton sold the American founders myth to liberals at the moment we started to question it.
(Hamilton argued against the bill of rights and preferred consolidation of power in a federal head of state.)
(Hamilton argued against the bill of rights and preferred consolidation of power in a federal head of state.)
February 14, 2026 at 8:20 PM
My unpopular opinion- The musical Hamilton sold the American founders myth to liberals at the moment we started to question it.
(Hamilton argued against the bill of rights and preferred consolidation of power in a federal head of state.)
(Hamilton argued against the bill of rights and preferred consolidation of power in a federal head of state.)
When we get around to remaking our government, we’re going to need to get rid of those think tanks along with the lobbyists. They are a linchpin in the machine removing power from the people and constructing corruption pipelines.
February 14, 2026 at 9:55 AM
When we get around to remaking our government, we’re going to need to get rid of those think tanks along with the lobbyists. They are a linchpin in the machine removing power from the people and constructing corruption pipelines.
Folks, it’s clear that the US authorities in charge of enforcing laws are NOT going to do anything about the pedophile oligarchy. The people in charge of our justice apparatus are members of the pedophile oligarchy. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ARREST THEMSELVES
February 13, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Folks, it’s clear that the US authorities in charge of enforcing laws are NOT going to do anything about the pedophile oligarchy. The people in charge of our justice apparatus are members of the pedophile oligarchy. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ARREST THEMSELVES
Want to support an lgbtq+ artist? www.haymarket.studio
Haymarket Studio: Store
www.haymarket.studio
February 12, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Want to support an lgbtq+ artist? www.haymarket.studio
Today was just too much trauma lasagne. I need someone to tuck me in like a burrito and read me a book.
February 12, 2026 at 2:52 AM
Today was just too much trauma lasagne. I need someone to tuck me in like a burrito and read me a book.
Y’all may have noticed that non-English content was already scrubbed from most federal websites early 2025. Done along with mentions of inclusion, equity, and women.
From @jheckman.bsky.social: The Interior Department is directing all its bureaus and offices to delete non-English content from their websites by the end of the day Tuesday, according to an internal notice from its IT shop.
federalnewsnetwork.com/technology-m...
federalnewsnetwork.com/technology-m...
Interior Dept directs IT shop to ‘scrub’ non-English content from its websites | Federal News Network
A new disclaimer on Interior Department websites states “English is the official language and authoritative version of all federal information.”…
federalnewsnetwork.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:30 AM
Y’all may have noticed that non-English content was already scrubbed from most federal websites early 2025. Done along with mentions of inclusion, equity, and women.
When people respond with a version of “I don’t remember that” when confronted about their own behavior, I consider it a liar’s tell. I don’t know why guilty people use that rather than full denial, but it’s definitely a pattern. Even worse is statements like “I was always careful not to …
February 11, 2026 at 4:04 AM
When people respond with a version of “I don’t remember that” when confronted about their own behavior, I consider it a liar’s tell. I don’t know why guilty people use that rather than full denial, but it’s definitely a pattern. Even worse is statements like “I was always careful not to …
Got my wallet stolen this morning. Within an hour they spent over $2000 at GameStop and Target. Felt really odd to experience an in person money crime.
Thankfully, banks have reversed the transactions and I’ll be fine. Gonna miss that wallet though.
Thankfully, banks have reversed the transactions and I’ll be fine. Gonna miss that wallet though.
February 10, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Got my wallet stolen this morning. Within an hour they spent over $2000 at GameStop and Target. Felt really odd to experience an in person money crime.
Thankfully, banks have reversed the transactions and I’ll be fine. Gonna miss that wallet though.
Thankfully, banks have reversed the transactions and I’ll be fine. Gonna miss that wallet though.
This halftime got me wanting to finally learn Spanish.
February 9, 2026 at 1:31 AM
This halftime got me wanting to finally learn Spanish.
Art and literature are an exploration of the human experience. It is an incredibly rewarding experience to create out of your own mind and effort. It is something that makes life worth the trouble.
These fucks resent that they can’t buy that feeling so they’re trying to con us.
These fucks resent that they can’t buy that feeling so they’re trying to con us.
I'm going to win.
February 8, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Art and literature are an exploration of the human experience. It is an incredibly rewarding experience to create out of your own mind and effort. It is something that makes life worth the trouble.
These fucks resent that they can’t buy that feeling so they’re trying to con us.
These fucks resent that they can’t buy that feeling so they’re trying to con us.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
This is why I moved off Substack to Ghost. The Nazis will migrate to any big platform but when a platform actively promotes them, that is a choice
for the terminally online this is *far* from a revalation and also, i *really* hope that it will push more people to jump to another platform. there are places that will help you migrate your newsletter and don't profit off hate speech.
Revealed: How Substack makes money from hosting Nazi newsletters
Exclusive: Site takes a cut of subscriptions to content that promotes far-right ideology, white supremacy and antisemitism
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:24 PM
This is why I moved off Substack to Ghost. The Nazis will migrate to any big platform but when a platform actively promotes them, that is a choice
Reposted by Gail Swanson
Please tell me the name of this protest was Eat a Dick
February 8, 2026 at 1:31 AM
Please tell me the name of this protest was Eat a Dick
You love to see it. Creative reuse.
At Whipple where expired dicks are being thrown at ICE vehicles and those believed to be agitators. The area has been a place of protest since thousands of federal agents arrived in the city.
Near Minneapolis February 7, 2026
Near Minneapolis February 7, 2026
February 8, 2026 at 5:09 AM
You love to see it. Creative reuse.
It’s time we create culture that quickly identifies and shuns coercion.
Apparently contrary view of mine: The trait that makes billionaires exceptional is not intelligence. It’s psychopathy.
Lots of people are as skilled as Mark Zuckerberg.
But few are willing to just ignore all privacy principles to fuck their entire userbase, and their country, for money.
Lots of people are as skilled as Mark Zuckerberg.
But few are willing to just ignore all privacy principles to fuck their entire userbase, and their country, for money.
I can think of other people whose success is arbitrary.
February 8, 2026 at 5:04 AM
It’s time we create culture that quickly identifies and shuns coercion.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
In the greater story of Minneapolis’ resistance to ICE, one chapter absolutely belongs to the punks organizing at every level. They’re observing, fundraising, running supplies, opening their spaces, coordinating, etc.
A story for @rollingstone.com. Thanks to everyone who spoke on the record.
A story for @rollingstone.com. Thanks to everyone who spoke on the record.
Meet the Minneapolis Punks Fighting ICE
People in the DIY music scene are using the community organizing tactics they learned by putting on shows to battle ICE.
www.rollingstone.com
February 7, 2026 at 3:09 PM
In the greater story of Minneapolis’ resistance to ICE, one chapter absolutely belongs to the punks organizing at every level. They’re observing, fundraising, running supplies, opening their spaces, coordinating, etc.
A story for @rollingstone.com. Thanks to everyone who spoke on the record.
A story for @rollingstone.com. Thanks to everyone who spoke on the record.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
if everyone could take on the “what if we just did the thing instead of waiting for it to happen” energy that much of minneapolis has right now, the world could be pretty good
February 6, 2026 at 10:51 PM
if everyone could take on the “what if we just did the thing instead of waiting for it to happen” energy that much of minneapolis has right now, the world could be pretty good
Content warning CSA:
Over 25 years ago I came forward about being sexually abused by my father as a very young child. I was swiftly attacked by the rest of my family members for doing so. Pressured to pretend it was fiction, I chose estrangement.
Would be nice if my country didn’t do that too.
Over 25 years ago I came forward about being sexually abused by my father as a very young child. I was swiftly attacked by the rest of my family members for doing so. Pressured to pretend it was fiction, I chose estrangement.
Would be nice if my country didn’t do that too.
February 6, 2026 at 7:13 AM
Content warning CSA:
Over 25 years ago I came forward about being sexually abused by my father as a very young child. I was swiftly attacked by the rest of my family members for doing so. Pressured to pretend it was fiction, I chose estrangement.
Would be nice if my country didn’t do that too.
Over 25 years ago I came forward about being sexually abused by my father as a very young child. I was swiftly attacked by the rest of my family members for doing so. Pressured to pretend it was fiction, I chose estrangement.
Would be nice if my country didn’t do that too.
I watched with my federal colleagues as DOGE began removing public data repositories in early 2025. We labeled it a “digital coup” because we understood the impact and intent.
“The current reality is that the federal government is no longer a reliable source of widespread data collection.”
“The current reality is that the federal government is no longer a reliable source of widespread data collection.”
February 5, 2026 at 7:13 PM
I watched with my federal colleagues as DOGE began removing public data repositories in early 2025. We labeled it a “digital coup” because we understood the impact and intent.
“The current reality is that the federal government is no longer a reliable source of widespread data collection.”
“The current reality is that the federal government is no longer a reliable source of widespread data collection.”
Reposted by Gail Swanson
attn gender studies grad students
I legit don’t know if I will ever get past this ad I saw walking to an appt this morning in soho. And yes, it’s a company that uses human sounding AI voice bots to take over your customer service calls.
February 5, 2026 at 4:48 PM
attn gender studies grad students