Ty Banks is a conceptual photographer from Berkeley, CA residing in New York City where she earned her BFA in photography from Parsons School of Design. Her personal practice explores her identity of black womanhood; learning to face the realities of racism as well as seeking representation and relatability in different aspects of life. Additionally she explores her personal experience of African-American culture, interested in the ways it has been integrated into mainstream media as well as acts of erasure. Inspired by her upbringing of a close knit family, she investigates the dynamics of relationships by highlighting the importance of community. She has gained nearly a decade of foundational photography experience contributing to her narrative-driven style, which is now being applied to her aspiration of Creative Direction. Her work has been presented at various gallery spaces around the Bay Area, including: DeYoung Museum, San Francisco Airport (SFO) Museum, and SOMarts. Recently Ty has co-founded a Magazine production company, New Cal, working as the Creative Director, Photographer, and Photo Editor. The zine is an artistic platform, highlighting the experiences (lifestyle, fashion/styling, culture) of the black youth.