Support and Recognition

Your mission to connect people from all over the planet is very commendable. Breaking down borders is something much needed in today’s world and it’s great that pioneers like you are expanding the reach of VR. - Jerry Price

Thank you so much for this stellar event! I cannot imagine a more visionary way to start into the New Year! - Christina Kinne

Helen, another great event, Dr. Carlsson was an excellent guest, very knowledgeable and informative. She does Sweden proud. The turnout was standing room only. -Jerry Price

⭐Helen Lundström Erwin is using XR to make culture timeless. Her Foremothers Café VR experience preserves Sweden’s stories while reimagining how history is passed down — not archived, but lived. - Angeline Seah, Women in Tech, Malaysia

A Splendid Virtual Rendezvous: When Sweden Meets Japan in Cyberspace
Greetings, fellow digital wanderers,
I've just emerged from what can only be described as the most civilized virtual reality encounter I've had in years—a meeting that's left me genuinely excited about the future of social VR.
Picture this: there I was, expecting another expedition through some neon-soaked virtual wasteland, when instead I found myself transported to Helen Lundström Erwin's exquisitely mundane 19th-century Swedish café in Lund (the ENGAGE virtual reality version). Now, as someone who's spent the better part of four decades living abroad, stumbling into this utterly unpretentious slice of Scandinavian domesticity was like discovering a perfectly decent cup of tea in a universe of energy drinks.

Helen appeared—as one does in VR—and we settled in for what the Swedes call fika. Not to be outdone in the cultural exchange department, I conjured up a fetching blue-and-white Japanese teapot, complete with wisteria handle, courtesy of my local potter. Because nothing says "meaningful cross-cultural dialogue" quite like competitive tableware.
The delicious irony wasn't lost on either of us: two Swedes, having spent decades perfecting our respective adopted languages—she English in America, I Japanese in Japan—occasionally fumbling for words in our mother tongue like linguistic tourists in our own heritage. Meanwhile, outside our cozy time capsule, motorcars and horse carriages rolled past in perfect historical harmony—yesterday's rush hour, today's museum piece.

What struck me most profoundly was how this utterly ordinary setting—no dragons, no explosions, just two middle-aged Scandinavians having a proper chat—created perfect conditions for extraordinary conversation. We found ourselves deep in discussion about VR's potential to reshape human connection, agreeing that while this technology might not appeal to everyone (much like adventurous travel or culinary escapades), it only takes a determined minority of digital nomads, explorers, and benevolent eccentrics to change the world. We have the huge advantage of being able to open a door and instantly be transported into the vision of another person.

Helen's café stands as a testament to what I'd call the "Metaverse for Grownups"—a space where meaningful discourse trumps mindless mayhem, where intimacy matters more than instant gratification. It's precisely this sort of thoughtful virtual environment that gives me hope for our increasingly fractured world.
Sometimes the most revolutionary act is simply sitting down for coffee with a stranger who shares your dreams of a better tomorrow—even if that coffee exists only in ones and zeros, and your café spans both centuries and continents. - Hans Karlsson, Mimir LLC, Japan

Thank you for keeping the history alive through the power of virtual reality. - Stephen Butchko, Founding member of Ferryman Collective 

Helen, this is good work, and especially a gathering place for enlightenment, enquiry and exploration. It is also fun! Bless you in these efforts. - Tom Furness, Professor (Emeritus), University of Washington

And somehow… having this discussion with our voices but through an avatar was a whole new safe experience to me. I want to know more about the benefit of hard conversations in the VR space. You all who engage in this technology are brilliant. Here’s to learning! Thanks again for the invitation, Helen Lundström Erwin and for everyone in the The Foremothers Café Café last night. - Dawn Y. Graber Women's Equity expert and Licensed Coach

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Helen Lundström Erwin for inviting me to her weekly meeting yesterday. Experiencing her virtual space in Engage was truly delightful.

The warm and welcoming atmosphere allowed everyone to share their week's experiences, ask questions, and engage in meaningful conversations with fellow attendees. Once again, I was impressed by how virtual reality meetings are significantly more effective and engaging than traditional Zoom sessions. The immersive nature of VR fosters a stronger sense of presence, making interactions more personal and discussions more focused.

Once again, thank you, Helen, for fostering such a supportive and engaging environment. I look forward to our future gatherings. - James Charrel, Technology Integrator at Lycée Français de New York

As I continue this journey of the Virtual Worlds Museum, I'm constantly reminded of some of the powerful threads that bind us. Community, Art, Sound, and Technology!
Big love and shoutout to Helen Lundström Erwin for the community engagement and creativity of her Lucia Concert at The Foremothers Café - Julian Reyes, Virtual Worlds Museum, and Keyframe

Helen Lundström Erwin, you've built such a beautiful, welcoming space. I look forward to breaking virtual bread with you and these other lovely humans, every week 💜 - Sarah Barker, Immersive Instructional Designer | Media Psychology Doctoral Candidate 

The Thursday Fika has become an important part of my life, a nice break from everything with the best community. - Ruben McCarthy, MSc Plant Pathology

"I've done a lot of things in VR but I've never stepped inside a book. It is such a powerful concept what you have achieved! This cafe where women came together in secret meetings, for the suffrage movement and fought for women's rights... How you recreated that cafe, now bringing women in XR together to continue that fight and support each other. It is beautiful and brilliant and I left feeling empowered and inspired." - Rebecca Gill, founder of VR Therapies

“Excited and honored to take part in the ribbon cutting ceremony for The Foremothers Café based on the novel Sour Milk in Sheep’s Wool. This space represents an expansion of the literary imagination. Authors can now build out their works to create rich experiences for their readers. Already we have immersive theatre, and there are so many more opportunities for artistic creation. “New technology opens up new possibilities for artistic creation.”
In the metaverse we are not only crossing genres, but synthesizing and expanding art forms in exciting new ways. What a time to be alive!”- Karen Alexander, XR Connected and XR Women

"Thank you for creating the Virtual Space and hosting important gatherings. I'm inspired in so many new ways, by the possibility to gather as sisters and brothers on the planet, unbound by geography, sharing important ideas.I can't thank you enough Helen!!" - Theresa Puckett