We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erika L. Binger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Erika L. , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I grew up on a ranch, where we had to accommodate and care for whatever obstacles came along. For example, if the fence broke and the cattle were loose, we needed to drop whatever we had planned to care for the immediate needs. There was never a time when the workload subsided long enough to have a substantial rest. We learned the importance of putting others before ourselves, and how to prepare for whatever may arise with the proper preparation. As an athlete, I also understand the value of working hard, and working smart, with intention. Growing up I had a sign in my room that read, “Remember, when you’re not practicing, someone else is.” I took that into all areas of my life. It does pose a problem when you want to sleep though! haha
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
We are developing the V3 Center to elevate our community through wellness, fitness and education. In North Minneapolis, there has been historic, intentional, dis-investment and we believe in order to have sustainable impact on wellness and economics, it is important to address both sectors. Our Center will be a place for everyone in our community to embrace opportunities. Our Phase One opens in spring 2024, with a restaurant and catering kitchen to provide healthy, tasty, affordable meals; out-of-school-time programming and STEAM experiential learning; meeting and multi-purpose spaces; fitness and cardio equipment; drop-in-childcare and a hydro-therapy and 25-yard pool where partners are able to expand their programming and our community can come together to celebrate and learn new things. Our first phase is community oriented and the second phase will be a regional destination that helps generate economic revenue into North Minneapolis to grow other businesses by hosting events. It will include a 50-meter pool; running/walking track; four multi-purpose courts and event lounges. It is the largest investment in North Minneapolis and we hope it will create opportunities for our community to showcase all that is positive.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The ability to listen to others and not expect to have the answers yourself, but to learn from others and collaborate in new ways, authentically. An ability to take calculated risks and try innovative ways of doing things, rather than the traditional pathways – not afraid to take a chance on something that has promise, or on someone that has promise. An understanding of how different pieces can be structured to build something better than any one piece individually. Take the time to hear others’ perspectives and to be patient with some of the systems you are trying to navigate, while you build relationships, alliances and networks to impact change. There are a lot of people that want to do “good” but may not have the platform to do so.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
One of the biggest challenges we are facing is acquiring the resources to develop our second phase. Post Covid, and George Floyd, a lot of individuals and companies recognized the need to do things differently and create systemic change. We have an innovative, transformative model that is putting resources back into the community in a manner that allows it to grow organically. We hope individuals and corporations are able to see this as a way to meet some of their public statements and goals, while creating a new paradigm that can be a national model to replicate.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.v3sports.org
- Instagram: v3_sports
- Facebook: V3_Sports
- Linkedin: v3sports
- Twitter: V3Center; V3Sports3
