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Tyra Banks
At the tender age of 17, Tyra Banks took the Paris fashion world by storm. Due to her cross-cultural appeal and wholesome persona, Tyra appeals to everyone from children to grandparents, professional women to young girls trying to find their path in life.
A groundbreaking international fashion icon, Tyra is known for knocking down barriers with her long list of "firsts." Early in her career, Tyra became the first black woman and the first model to be featured on the cover of GQ Magazine, a feat repeated when she was named their "Woman of the year 2000." With back-to-back appearances on the cover of Sports Illustrated's famed swimsuit issue in 1996 and 1997, she broke more new ground, becoming the first Black model to grace its coveted cover. Tyra also received the prestigious Michael Award, presented to the "Supermodel of the year." Having become the first Black model ever to be featured on the cover of the Victoria's Secret Catalog, she subsequently went on to sign a lucrative and exclusive contract with the company.
In recent years, Tyra extended her relationship with Victoria's Secret, signing an exclusive cosmetics contract with them. In addition to Victoria's Secret, Tyra has been contracted by Swatch and Cover Girl and has appeared in ad campaigns for Nike, Pepsi, McDonald's, the Milk Advisory Board, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana, Sony and most recently, a responsible drinking campaign for Coors.
Tyra's sojourn in Hollywood connected her both comically and dramatically with America's audiences as the "girl next door." She appeared opposite Will Smith in the hit television series "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and dramatically portrayed a college track star in John Singleton's critically acclaimed "Higher Learning." Tyra also starred in ABC's Wonderful World of Disney Movie "Life Size." The movie garnered huge ratings for ABC, and Daily Variety raved about Tyra's comic performance, calling it "hilarious." She immediately segued from the small screen to the silver screen with roles in "Coyote Ugly" and "Halloween: Resurrection." Banks recently executive-produced and starred in the hit UPN reality series "America's Next Top Model."
Tyra is also well known for her concern for today's youth and such important issues as education and self-esteem. In 1992, she established "The Tyra Banks Scholarship," a fund that grants African American girls the opportunity to attend her alma mater, Immaculate Heart High, an all-girls private school in the Los Angeles area.
Tyra expanded her outreach in July 2000, when her self-funded charitable foundation sponsored the first year of TZONE. This summer camp experience for teenage girls is designed to enhance independence and self-esteem. After writing Tyra's Beauty Inside & Out (HarperCollins), Tyra realized that the trials she overcame as a teen could be used to connect with girls who struggle with low self-esteem. Her idea for a free, week-long camp came from the abundance of letters Tyra received from her teenage readers voicing their many concerns and insecurities as they approach womanhood.
Tyra realizes that the images portrayed in the media by herself and other public figures is a hard if not impossible standard to live up to. By tearing down the myth of the perfect woman, Tyra makes inner beauty the focus of the TZONE summer camp experience. Her night talk on beauty and body image, non-made-up face and hair, and blunt honesty about her own body insecurities underscore her insistence that the entertainment industry is built on smoke and mirrors.
After submitting applications that are personally reviewed and chosen by Tyra, the TZONE participants spend a week with Tyra in the mountains outside of Los Angeles, California. Here, the girls are encouraged to leave their past behind and learn how to grow towards the future. Tyra wakes them up with an early morning camp cheer and proceeds to get to know them throughout the day with team work challenges and ropes courses, arts and crafts, archery, nature walks, dance classes, photography lessons and meals. At night, Tyra gathers together with the campers and shares not only her personal story, but listens and encourages them to reveal their own as they cover issues like beauty and body image, gender and race relations, and dating. Tyra's dream is to take TZONE nationwide.
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