At the turn of the 20th century, Riga – now Latvia’s capital – was booming. Railway lines, shipyards and factories had made it one of the Russian Empire’s richest cities, with its population surging by 88% between 1897 and 1913 (to about 530,000). Much of Latvia in this era was an industrial heartland serving the vast empire, and Riga’s harbor and machine works funneled enormous wealth into the city. This prosperity spawned a building boom: from 1910–1913 some 300–500 new buildings per year rose in Riga, mostly in the then-fashionable Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style.

Estonia’s journey to reclaim independence in 1991 – after half a century under Soviet rule – is often remembered for the courage and unity of the Estonian people. Mass singing demonstrations, human chains across the Baltics, and shrewd political moves defined this “Singing Revolution.” Less known, however, is the covert but crucial support from neighboring Finland. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Finland acted as a supportive “big brother,” quietly funneling financial aid, training, and resources to help Estonia rebuild its state – all while maintaining a delicate balance with the Soviet Union.

Beneath the hiss of birch-fed steam, a centuries-old Nordic ritual is suddenly the coolest wellness ticket in town. From smoke-blackened huts in the forests of Finland and Estonia to glass-walled “contrast-therapy” pop-ups on Venice Beach, sauna culture has journeyed across the Atlantic—picking up bio-hackers, Silicon Valley founders, and everyday seekers along the way. In 2025, the searing-heat-then-ice-plunge cycle isn’t just detox; it’s a communal reset that’s rewriting how North America thinks about health, tech, and togetherness.

From secret glances in Nordic fishing villages to defiant dances on New York’s Christopher Street, the journeys of queer Scandinavians and Balts weave a century-long tapestry of exile, love, and liberation. Love Across Latitudes traces these migrations—through war, the AIDS crisis, and today’s Pride diplomacy—to reveal how Viking sailors, Baltic refugees, lesbian caregivers, and trans trailblazers reshaped both America’s queer capital and the homelands they left behind. Dive into an epic story of resilience that spans fjords, iron curtains, and rainbow-draped avenues.

Thelma Sigurhansdóttir, also known as Thelma Gella, has launched her debut solo exhibition: Habitat at the Art Lab Gallery, in Staten Island. An Iceland native, completing her BA in Studio art at CUNY in New York City, Thelma’s work has been exhibited internationally in New York, Iceland, and Denmark. Outside of her studies, Thelma currently works as a sculpture assistant for a Brooklyn-based artist.

From 19th‑century immigrant weeklies to today’s digital platforms, Nordic and Baltic media in New York has constantly reinvented itself. This overview traces that evolution—and shows how The Northern Voices now leads the next chapter as a fully digital hub for Northern creativity.

As Europe pushes for digital sovereignty, many individuals and organizations seek alternatives to US-centric tech. A recent survey of European tech leaders called for reducing reliance on Silicon Valley giants. Privacy-first startups and open-source projects have flourished in response.

The Northern Voice has a first look at Valev Laube’s new single “Halo in Freefall,” a dreamy composition currently available as an early preview track on SoundCloud.

In spring 2025, as the EU and the US both grapple with inflation, geopolitical storms and social change, striking parallels and contrasts emerge. The European Union – a bloc of 27 member states with roughly 449 million people – is the world’s second-largest economy, at about $19.9 trillion GDP (nominal, forecast 2025). By comparison, the United States alone (~336 million people) boasts roughly $27.4 trillion GDP (2023).

In 2015, co-founders P. Blake Renda and Julie W. Koester were huddled around a kitchen table in Naples, Florida, sketching plans for a different marketing agency. They had a bold vision: a one-stop firm blending rigorous business strategy with full-service, white glove business marketing services under one roof. Fast-forward to today, and that kitchen-table startup—Dragon Horse Agency—has grown into a multi-award-winning international firm with offices in Florida and California.