Third year anniversary & birthday
a wishlist
Dear Reader,
This month is Swallow’s third year anniversary, and my birthday. I am happy and grateful to be here. To celebrate, because I didn’t really do so last year, I’ve put together a wishlist. This list of wishes was made to support artists, and to encourage contributions to mutual aid initiatives. Swallow and my own art is included on this list of gifts.
How this works:
To reserve a gift for my birthday on the wishlist below, first check to see if it’s still available by clicking the Reservation list button. If you reserve a gift that requires a mailing address, please contact me to let me know.
Note that donations to Salama and his family are unlimited, encouraged, and do not require a reservation. The minimum donation is $10, but if you are able to donate more, please consider doing so.
Keep in mind that you can also purchase any of these gifts for yourself or someone else by making additional orders directly from the artists/writers (links provided).
I see this as a chance to support and celebrate people and art through shared contribution, and commitment. Thank you for being here, and thank you for your generosity.
Contribute $10 or more to Salama and his family
Pictured above with Salama, is Sila, Salama’s niece, who recently turned four years old. On the right, you’ll see Alma, also Salama’s niece. In this photo she is distributing oranges to her family members at their request. :) It’s the month of Ramadan, and in addition to his responsibility towards his family, Salama is also making efforts to provide food for the people in his community.
Words from Salama: “Last Ramadan was incredibly difficult. The war was ongoing, and I lost my mother once again. I was in northern Gaza, where food was almost nonexistent. There wasn’t enough white flour, and we were living in a state of famine in the truest sense. We had to bring animal food and grind it to eat and break our fast. Despite everything, we always had hope and faith in God … We hope this Ramadan will be better, my friend. The situation now is better than last year, where there is good food, such as cheese and other items, but people have no money to buy resources, suhoor, iftar, vegetables, or fruits...”
From Build Palestine: “Since ancient times, “al-Awna” (mutual aid) has been a symbol of cooperation and support, where the Palestinian people have always relied on their local resources to achieve their community goals, especially during difficult times like the Nakba and Intifadas…”
With these words and practices in mind, consider making a donation to Salama’s family and community this month.
A paid subscription to Swallow
Swallow is an ongoing documentation project that is curious about memory and location. This project was first published in Tokyo on my birthday in March of 2022. 2025 is Swallow’s third year anniversary.
In three years, there have been 52 published entries, which means there have been 52 times that I’ve sat down at a desk to pull words and images into something that has become public, held, or seen. Even if just for one small moment of your day.
This project is made of memory, salt, and breath.
Supporting Swallow directly supports my livelihood and the work I do as a multidisciplinary artist. Much gratitude to those who decide to sign up for monthly, year-long, or founding member subscriptions this year. And an enormous thank you to those who already have a paid subscription.
Invite a friend to Swallow
If you haven’t already, please subscribe, and/or tell a friend about Swallow. For people, like myself, who can’t afford to give through financial means, there are other ways to express your support. I think telling a friend is a really cool way to connect those dots.
protect trans joy t-shirt
by Kira Walz, Aggressively Soft Studios
$35.00 ( + shipping )
If you’re ordering for my birthday: protect trans joy - t shirt - black - size s
Message Kira on their Aggressively Soft Studios IG for orders & consider purchasing one for yourself / your friends too
About the artist:
Kira Walz is a queer and trans non-binary artist from Calgary, Alberta. Their brand Aggressively Soft Studios is a catch-all extension of their interdisciplinary art practice of textiles, photography, and bookmaking.
Aggressively Soft Studios offers cozy and comfortable t-shirts and long-sleeve shirts, as well as zines and patches. Everything is screen printed locally. All clothing items are made with a silkscreen or linocut printing method and in a DIY and figure-it-out-as-you-go fashion. Fun recent material additions include stained glass jewelry and solder jewelry. There is also a “treasure box” of items available at a pay-what-you-can price.
They approach these processes through drawing on queer experiences, poetics, and punk spirit. Kira spends most of their free time reading, dreaming up new zine ideas, and experimenting in new techniques.
海が見える惑星: A planet where we can see the ocean
by Ippei Hamada
¥130,000 ( + shipping) | $870 (+ shipping)
Ippei’s art makes me feel free. My art hangs on his wall, and I know that his art will hang on mine someday too.
Message Ippei on IG to order, or do so through his website.
Recent Update: Ippei is will donate %100 percent of the proceeds to Salama’s fund. Know that if you purchase this painting, the full amount of your contribution would be going to a very special family. You can read Ippei’s words here.
"海が見える惑星"
OSB合板 450×602 (mm) アクリル絵の具
"A planet where we can see the ocean"
OSB plywood 450×602 (mm) Acrylic paint ここに来てもう何年？ 地球と同じ環境 わたしたち以外だれもいない とても静かで たまにさびしくなるけど たまに旅人が寄ってくれる ちょっとの幸せがとてもいい
How many years have we been here? The same environment as Earth There's no one here except us It's very quiet It gets lonely sometimes But sometimes travelers stop by A little happiness is very nice
DYSTOKYO:
cyber[punk] poetry by Zoria Petkoska, glitch art by Simon Kalajdjiev
$25.00 ( + shipping )
If you are ordering from inside “the u.s.”, I kindly ask that you to go through this small bookstore in Salt Lake, City, Utah: link here.
If you are ordering from Japan, please order from the Tokyo Poetry Journal’s website here.
About the cyber[punk] poet, and the glitch artist:
Zoria is a polyglot, polymath, poet, a neo-Tokyoite telling stories about the city that take a myriad of forms, from travelogues to experimental visual poems. Whenever possible, she will bend language to create a "wordigami" or grow a poetry bonsai. She has come up with the Poetry Archeology creative writing method for which she holds workshops and has been an early proponent of cyber(punk) and futuristic poetry. She is an award-winning translator, editor-in-chief of the literary journal [Ш] and editor at Tokyo Poetry Journal.
When Simon isn't glitching views of Tokyo he took on the city streets, you can find him drawing meticulously detailed bird-eye views of this metropolis. His fascination with urban cityscapes dates back to his time in the Faculty of Fine Arts. He exhibited "Citygraphy," a series of Tokyo and Seoul cityscapes painted with acrylics on canvas, in 2015 in Skopje. Drawing Tokyo became Simon's full time job in 2016 when he moved to Tokyo and started working for the architecture firm Nikken Sekkei.
Refaat Alareer Liberation Tee
by Studio Ānanda
$88.88 ( + Shipping )
If you’re ordering for my birthday: size small
Order here
Fariha Róisin’s writing, How to Cure A Ghost, on Substack can be found here:
“In the spirit of Alareer’s words and courage, 100% of the proceeds will be distributed to The Refaat Alareer Camp by the Sameer Project, Mohammed Abuissa’s family, & Wafaa & Family.”