We had the good fortune of connecting with Bin Userkaf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bin, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking feels like it’s built into my very being and has been since I was much younger, even though I likely wouldn’t have called it that then. From deciding to publish a book at 13 and tell my whole school about it, to flying across country multiple times to help shoot a project I heard about on Instagram, I am no stranger to taking leaps regardless of the doubts that naturally come up when trying new things. Today and everyday, I strive to keep on leaping, keep on relying more on faith instead of what I can see or imagine might happen. Those risks I took led me to lessons I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise and I want to keep on learning.

 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I first fell in love with stories and art when I was younger and my sisters and I used dolls to create movies/shows adapted from scripts I wrote. My dad really cultivated my creative spirit and gave us access to the best software in the business at the time (the early 2000s) and we ran with it. Creating stories for these dolls evolved into creating fan works of my favorite shows & books and eventually into writing my own original book that my sister never let me forget was promising and should not be pushed aside.

I’m so glad I listened to her! As I journeyed through middle school – one of my greatest and most challenging adventures – I put the things that mattered to me most on the page and, along with my family, published it at 13. This was a monumental moment for me; I’d always loved stories and now I’d told my own to the world. So many people that I knew; teachers, my father, even some friends and acquainted let me know how amazing this was and not only did I believe them, but I wrote the first draft of the sequel soon after, fired up and ready to be that New York Times Best Selling author I knew I could be.

But as time went on and people began to talk about my book less and less, my 14 year old self couldn’t understand why things hadn’t taken off the way I expected. It took me growing up a whole lot more to understand it. For that time being, I accepted that author may not be my profession.

I was 19 when I picked up my debut Itchikan again. Also at this time, I was graduating college with a certificate in digital media and coming to terms with the fact that instead of limiting my expression of stories to either film/video or novel writing, I could pursue them both. This realization changed my life and in the following years, I had some of my first paid Videography gigs, created so many Short Films, wrote on several Web Series – which gave me the courage to write my own – and even rediscovered my passion for acting.

When I look back on my 14 year old self who was convinced something we loved wasn’t for us because it wasn’t happening in the way we wanted, I am able to be thankful, and see clearly the reason my story is the way it is. I have been privileged enough to live in a family that has supported my creative endeavors always and me in everyday life as well. Whether I was actively working on a book or just trying to get through high school, my life has been full and it’s that fullness which allowed me to return to the creative industry in my adult life with a great perspective.

Most importantly, I have learned that success is not what the world makes it out to be. It is a success to publish a book at 13 no matter who reads it. It’s a success just to write a book, to make videos online, to give art your all and just have fun doing it. It’s success to look at the works you created as a child and not look down on them because you weren’t where you are now – to instead gather them in your hands and create new things from that foundation.

I have learned to make the most of every journey, creative or otherwise and to keep leaning on the people around me no matter how long the road may seem. These are the lessons that are embedded into my work, as I am still solidifying them in my heart to this day.

Currently, I am adapting my debut YA Dystopian Fantasy novel following a Black teen who accidently repeats dark history when she and her friends set out to save the world from a corrupt Queen, into a TV Show and it has been the adventure of a lifetime. We shot the Proof of Concept in August 2024 and, had it not been for the aforementioned realizations, it would have never become what it needed to. We are now in Post-Production and proud is an understatement for how I feel.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love this question because I have plans to show many friends around Detroit. I’d start our tour downtown at the Riverwalk, where we’d enjoy a nice stroll or bike ride beside the iconic Renaissance Center, enjoy the sights of Canada, and even see the Joe Louis Fist and Spirit of Detroit up close, making a stop at the swings on Woodward before moving on to Southwest Detroit, where we’d enjoy some great authentic Mexican food at Armando’s then watch the sunset and the awesome view of the bridge and skyline at Riverside park.

Realizing that this is all (unintentionally) set in one day, on the second day we would ride the people mover to Grand Circus park and hop on the Q Line down to Yum Village to try Nigerian Cuisine. Afterward we’d hit up the DIA and pop back to Southwest to drive through Corktown to rumble over the cobblestone roads, take pictures on the benches in front of Michigan Central Station and enjoy Ramen at Johnny Noddle King before hitting the hay.

The next day we’d get desserts for breakfast at Astoria’s in GreekTown and watch the sunrise down Gratiot Avenue before getting some real Detroit food at the Lafeyette Coney Island. On to Campus Martius we’d go next enjoying ice skating if it’s winter or sitting in the beach chairs if it’s summer and later, skating down the Dequindre Cut.

Day four we’d be farther up Woodward at Supercrisp for some great fusion food, then check out the Motown Museum and hihi for all the plushies & anime merch we could ever ask for. For dinner enjoy any of the wonderful menu items at Detroit Pizza Bar on the West side.

The next day, we’d pack snacks from the Rivertown Meijer Market on Jefferson and make our way to Belle Isle to do some trails, a bit of hiking and get pictures on Sunset point.

For the following day – if it’s summertime – we’d break out the bathing suits and enjoy some time at the East side’s Wayne County Aquatic Family Center, make our way to get burgers at Bert’s near Eastern Market and the West side to take part in behemoth amounts of affordable ice cream at Dairy Delight.

Our final day, we would enjoy some Detroit Style Buddy’s Pizza, a movie at Bel Air cinema and end it at our Black-owned skating rink RollerCade Detroit.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My father Nommo who gave me access to the best tech 2007 had to offer, igniting my love for filmmaking and videography. My sister Afiya who sat by my side and was instrumental to not only the publishing of my debut novel, but the reason it became a novel at all. Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, the first book series that opened my world to Young Adult dystopia, a genre that I still love to read and write to this day. My 6 & 7th grade English teacher Mr. Briolin whose attentiveness to me and the way I learned has made a lasting impact that I think of often. My sister Shani, the first person to buy a physical copy of my debut Itchikan and who took Behind The Scenes on set for the Proof of Concept. My mother who intentionally got Black children’s books for us when I was younger allowing me to see myself and laying the foundation for my journey as a Storyteller. Miss Adrianne Collins who gave me some of my first paid gigs as a fresh-out-of-college freelance videographer. My best friend in middle school Jordan who not only inspired but came up with so many of the names and places in Itchikan, many of which are still in use today. Amontgenue, who plays Aurora in Itchikan’s Web Series adaptation and has become one of my best friends, for the constant belief in me and their creative insight that has helped shape the project. And most of all, for God who has been with me every single second, reminding me that I can do anything I put my mind to.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/binuserkaf?igsh=azNzY2IxNzliaTkz

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/binuserkaf?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DrePzhqkj/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@binuserkaf?si=n1rjstmk8mW5m9_z

Other: My Booktube Channel:
https://youtube.com/@positivewriterr?si=RJXTgqWHYNuxJXuC

Itchikan’s Instagram & Tiktok:
@TheItchikanSeries

Stay up to date with us by signing up for the Newsletter as well:
https://mailchi.mp/0a8de54ce0c7/bins-author-newsletter

Image Credits
Thomas Pawlowski
Shani Userkaf
Afiya Userkaf
Kincaid Hopkins
Nommo Userkaf

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