Born in Harlem New York, storytelling has been a part of Thembi Banks/ DNA since she can remember. She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia H.S and majored in theater and received her MFA from USC's Film & TV Production program where she worked on several award-winning films. She was most recently a co-producer on Home Before Dark, an upcoming hour-long drama set to premiere on Apple's streaming platform in 2019. Previously she wrote for SMIFL, Daytime Divas and Step Up and is currently writing a feature for Universal Studios with Malcom D. lee attached to produce and direct. She will be making her feature film directorial debut with YOUNG. WILD. FREE written by Juel Taylor. Thembi was a 2017 directing fellow at Project Involve: Her film Suitable has screened in over twenty five festivals and won the Award of Excellence, Special Mention in the 2018 IndieFEST competition and the Audience Award at the Black Harvest Film Festival. The film was also licensed by HBO to air on its online platforms.