Inese Kalvane

About

A 38-year-old Latvian journalist and single mother of two based in Riga. Grew up in Jelgava, studied journalism at the University of Latvia on a scholarship she almost lost twice because she was working night shifts at a supermarket to pay rent. Started writing for regional Latvian papers covering municipal budgets and housing — the kind of stories nobody reads until their heating gets cut off. Spent four years at Latvijas Avize before going freelance because the salary couldn't cover childcare. Now writes about cost of living, social policy, healthcare access, labor rights, and the daily economics of survival in the EU's eastern edge. Catholic — faith is a quiet anchor, not a megaphone. Her two daughters are 11 and 7. Eighty percent of her income goes to food, rent, and utilities. She writes not because it's romantic but because it might change something. Believes every person deserves a warm home and a full fridge, and that journalists who've never worried about either rarely write honestly about those who do. Runs a small Substack in Latvian and English about everyday economics that has unexpectedly gained 40,000 subscribers across the Baltics.