| (with Banks, above right) and her continued dedication to creating media venues that serve Madison's minority communities, youth, and the community at large. Banks stems from a long line of community notables. Her grandparents, William and Anna Mae Miller, were among the first Black pioneers in Madison when they arrived in 1902. They settled in the historic Old Market Place neighborhood on East Dayton Street where they purchased two homes, operating one as a boarding house for newly arrived African Americans. Banks' grandfather formed the Book Lover's Club, a forerunner of the NAACP in Madison, and W.E.B. Dubois (the couple's long-time friend) dubbed them part of the "Talented Tenth." "They were progressive and always involved in social justice issues," Banks said. This intrinsic sense of civic duty continued on in Banks' family and was deeply imbedded in her upraising. "We were all raised with a real sense of civic responsibility and a real sense of social justice," Banks said. "You have a responsibility to make a contribution and better the plight of the everyone." Banks, a graduate of Madison's old Central High School and Edgewood College's Social Sciences program, has long worked with area children and their families. For the past 16 years, she has worked with young children and their families on Madison's south side. In the meantime, her relationship with Gaddi Ben Dan led her to venture into unchartered waters when together they tackled the media arena. "He [Dan] is the one that introduced me to the whole world of media," Banks said. "He introduced a whole different aspect about what it means to build community and to create better people." In the 1980s, Dan -- a graduate of the University of Illinois in journalism and marketing -- was long accustomed to working in media after publishing numerous newspapers in Chicago. When the two decided to start a newspaper in the Madison area, Banks was heading into unfamiliar territory. But she recognized the need for alternative media and is not one to sit back and let others take the lead. "There is such a need for there to be media that comes out of communities of color," Banks said. "[Mainstream] media just isn't doing it. When you recognize a need, you have to do it yourself." In 1984, Banks and Gaddi created The Community Free Press, a community newspaper focusing on minority communities. This signaled just the beginning of the duo's media endeavors. After doing a series on drugs for the newspaper, they decided it was time to reach out to area youth. "When we ran a series called 'Drugs in Madison,' we were so alarmed what we heard from young people about drugs," Banks said. "We started thinking about using entertainment as a way to capture young people's interest." Banks and Dan started Club TNT, an hour-long TV program that first aired on Fox 47 in 1990, in order to educate youth and help steer them towards positive choices. The vehicle they used for education was entertainment. "We use the medium of entertainment to educate and inform kids and parents about risky behavior," Banks said. Club TNT was first filmed in the now defunct Wally Gator's Teen Club in Madison and then later at D.J.s Teen Club in Wisconsin Dells. The show aired until 1992 when it fizzled out. Ten years later, the show was resurrected and began broadcast on UPN14 in September 2003. Show producers recognized that a new set of challenges face area teens today. "What we knew was that it was certainly a different time and space," Banks said. "Hip Hop had arrived. A lot had changed." Club TNT was recreated with more animation to better reflect changing times in a technological age, but the message remains the same. Show producers use music, dance, poetry, and 'straight talk' to confront issues of gang involvement, drugs, smoking, alcohol, teen pregnancy, crime prevention, suicide awareness and prevention, and other risky behaviors. "Every child deserves an opportunity to create a vision for what their life is going to be," Banks said. "We are about supporting and educating our young people. We all have a responsibility to guide our young people and ensure that they can take advantage of all the opportunities that are out there." At the same time, Club TNT works to negate all the negative images of minority youth that seem to infiltrate mainstream media. They show footages that many don't footage of youth creating, participating in the community, and showcasing all their talent. "When the major media isn't there; we're there," Banks said. "We are showcasing young kids of color who are doing positive things." Banks works with partners Dan, Jeannie Erickson, and Bill Breitsprecher on Club TNT, and they also partner to create Heart and Soul, a community forum on Madison's 'The Pulse' 1670 a.m. Produced by Club TNT and Leccia &Associates, the program is a vehicle for the community to speak out about issues of concern and current news topics. "Heart and Soul brings the community into the airwaves and sends the community back out into the airwaves," Banks said. Whether involved in the media or community organizations, Banks has exercised her sense of civic responsibility in some way or the other throughout her life. Along the way, she has sat on many boards and won many awards. For her, however, it isn't about the awards hanging on her wall, but about making decisions that will make a difference in the community. For more information about Club TNT visit www.clubtnt.org or for information on Heart and Soul visit www.heartandsoulmadison.org. |
| Betty Banks Heart and soul in community activism by Laura Salinger |
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| At the "heart and soul" of the Madison community are those who dare to push the envelope and take a stand for what they believe in. Betty Banks, co-host of the Heart and Soul Radio show, columnist for Voices newspaper, and Executive Producer of Club TNT (Today Not Tomorrow), is a long-time community activist who has dared to envision a better community and spent much of her life working towards that end. In a recent interview with the Capital City Hues, Banks reflected on growing up in Madison, her long-time friendship and working relationship with Gaddi Ben Dan |