THE STORY
About our Founder
ShaQiyla F. Banks was born and raised in Northeast Wichita, KS. She is an ambitious entrepreneur, humanitarian, and youth advocate that believes it is positive relationships that leave a lasting influence in young people's lives. ShaQiyla is dedicated to advocating and supporting the youth in her community by providing resources, mentorship, and needs-based services to youth and young adults.
Supporting her beliefs in positive youth-adult connections, she has over ten years of experience working with youth and young adults through her service with other community organizations and national foundations (such as, but not limited to, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, AmeriCorps GRASP, Youth First Youth Leaders Network, Girls Circle Network, National Crittenton Social & System Change for Girls, serving on local steering committees for Youth Advocacy Coalition and Progeny), and her life-long church Greater New Testament Missionary Baptist church, Dr. K.E. Cullors as senior pastor.
ShaQiyla F. Banks, Founder
Director of Program
& Development
Professionally, she has a nine year career with the Department of Corrections-- Juvenile Services, where she currently serves as an Independent Living Trainer. Academically, ShaQiyla is an honors graduate earning both her Bachelors of Science and Masters of Arts in Criminal Justice from Wichita State University. ShaQiyla has had the opportunity--professionally, academically, and through life experience to see the impact of target issues Equity Initiative, Inc. was developed to address. Her knowledge and fortitude is used daily to strengthen young adults and prepare them for the future.
Leadership
