Meet Michelle Banks

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle Banks a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I found my purpose when I was younger, knowing what I wanted to be – an actress and a theater maker for Deaf artists of color. I founded Onyx Theatre Company, the only theater company for deaf artists of color, in 1990 in NYC after I graduated from the State University of New York – Purchase. There was a lack of opportunities for Deaf artists of color in the industry. Therefore, my mission was to fill the void by creating opportunities for them to thrive in the theater arts.

Then, by God’s grace, I was led to establish Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA) in Washington, DC, my hometown, in 2019 for the same reason/purpose – giving something back to the Deaf community, especially BIPOC. I saw the critical need to elevate the voice of Deaf BIPOC artists in the DMV area when I was directing A Raisin in the Sun at Gallaudet University in 2018. There was a pool of Deaf Black talents in the show, but they did not have the resources or training to continue advancing their careers in the theater arts. That was when I knew I had to do something for them, giving them the space they needed to create and showcase their talents.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA), established in 2019 to provide a platform for Deaf and Hard of Hearing BIPOC artists to create, collaborate, and showcase their culturally distinctive work through various creative arts.

I’m excited about a project that is very important to me. I’ve been working on this project for the past two years – the ISM project, a social justice performance that highlights Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals’ struggles in the form of systemic racism in society. Hence, I’m directing a play, ISM II, that is sequential to the original production, ISM in 2021. It features six talented Deaf BIPOC artists sharing narratives about their experiences of oppression and discrimination associated with ism-words. We also are incorporating our Deaf hip-hop culture into the show as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop along with the hearing community. This production will include music and dance choreographed by Tara Miles, who is also Deaf and Black. Deaf and hearing audiences will have access to spoken English and American Sign Language (ASL) simultaneously. I hope that both of the audiences will appreciate the work we do and enjoy the show.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three most important qualities or skills for me were leadership, resilience, and effective communication. These qualities/skills have helped me get to where I am right now and run a successful non-profit organization. I’m grateful to have learned these skills to achieve my goal as a theatermaker. I encourage people in their early journey to examine their strengths and weaknesses, which will help them develop and hone their skills. It is a work in process and it takes great patience to learn your skills and achieve your goals.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents have been very supportive of my aspirations and my career. When they found out I was deaf at age 1, their first thought was, “How are we going to raise a deaf child?” Fortunately, we lived near Gallaudet University, and my parents were able to get support from Gallaudet, taking sign language classes and attending a support group for hearing parents with deaf children. They learned to sign to communicate with me at home at a young age and have communicated with me in sign language ever since. Fortunately, my parents were open to learning another language to communicate with me. Many hearing parents have chosen not to learn signs to communicate with their deaf children due to fear, lack of resources or support, or time constraints. Learning to sign to communicate with me was the most impactful thing my parents did for me.

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Image Credits
Mervin Primeaux-Obryant Crystal Vaughan Andrew Roberston Jannifer Williams

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