Erika has lived a unique life of adventure, and, in one word, Erika describes herself as thoughtful. She thinks she’s a good leader and likes to bring people together and have fun. At the end of the day, she just wants everyone to be happy. Even if she doesn’t always make good decisions or makes a mistake, she’ll always try to create a good environment for everyone.
Her life of adventure started early, moving around a lot before settling down in Bozeman. She’s lived in New York, St. Louis, Chicago, India, Detroit, and Alaska and still does a lot of traveling. However, Bozeman was the first place she knew that she really wanted to build a home. Bozeman is her favorite place she’s ever lived because it was easy to make friends quickly, the work she does is fun and fulfilling, Bozeman is where she met her husband, and everything she does for fun around the area feels like a vacation. She loves mountain biking, skiing, and spending time doing anything deep in the mountains.
Erika works in the film industry as a camera operator and producer. She primarily works on television shows and documentary films. Right now, she’s working on a NBC pilot series for a documentary survival skills show. She usually is working on things where she ends up outside all day. Because of the work she does as a filmmaker, she describes her days as physically uncomfortable, yet exciting. The show she’s currently working on takes her all over the world in crazy places and in crazy situations. She likes to work hard and play hard, and at the end of the day coming home is like heaven. No matter how crazy it gets, she couldn’t imagine doing anything else and hopes the projects keep getting cooler. She commented that if life in Bozeman plateaued for her right now, she’d be happy.
Erika’s thoughtfulness exists in her passion for social justice, and it’s something she works with a lot in film. There is a fire in her eyes as she talked about creating a world where everyone has a chance to exist as themselves, and believes that everyone who comes from privilege should take interest in social justice issues.
She also likes science fiction, cooking, and foraging for food. She believes there is nothing more fun than finding something edible outside.
She’s excited to live in Bozeman Cohousing and create a unique space for her family. The idea of living in minimalist fashion, sharing amenities, and being aware of your waste and what you want vs. what you need is an interesting aspect of cohousing. Erika is excited to be in close proximity to people who are like-minded and living in an area where you can get to know your neighbors and call upon each other when you need to. When she gets settled into her place in Bozeman Cohousing, she hopes to take a few months off to just sit and enjoy the space and be present during all the excitement of move-in. She’s ready to work in the garden and get to know everyone.
Younger and future generations make Erika hopeful for the future. Generally, she believes that young people are smarter, nicer, and cooler than she was at that age, and believes it’s a move in the right direction. She hopes that we get to a place where everyone feels heard and safe.