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

Edward, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

As a single parent disc-jockey and audio engineer concerned with my own children’s poor academics, mentored by educators I developed and facilitated programs in the schools they attended to help combat the negative impacts of pop-culture on youth and the at-risk environments they navigated through. Along with my continued relationship with entertainment, I have dedicated the last 18 years of my life to Reading-R.A.M.M. (recording, arts music & media) project-based and social emotional learning youth programming.

We have covered youth focused topics wrapped around but not limited to solutions journalism, anti-bullying, gentrification, youth violence, Hamilton play inspiring social studies bench marks, civic engagement and the MY Young Fam Radio Show on 95.9 FM.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I began my disc-jockey career soon after completing an anger-management program at 12 years old. Following my service to The US Army, Music production and media evolved yearly pursuing a music career while learning to balance being a single parent of two boys that ballooned into receiving custody of two more girls. I’ve accomplished accolades from the music industry and worked with countless artists like Gerald Levert, Rude Boys, Ray Jr., Al Fatz, Bone Thugs & Harmony and many artists from the underground music scene.

For years I’ve tried to impower Cleveland’s Hip-hop and R&B scene by producing collaborative projects to educate and assist the local music industry working together to push our local artists into the national scene, furthermore bringing industry dollars back home to our impoverished communities. These mission evolved into empowering young people with a non-traditional approach to learning, through the use of project-based learning as the engine using multimedia as the fuel.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

With all of the awesome songs, short films, documentaries and creative writing books we have produced with young people, it was the result of programming that engaged young people to change their destructive behaviors or inspired another group to pursue a goal they previously thought was obtainable.

I want to continue pushing the limits of daily programming creating entrainment content that is engaging and educational for communities that have been underserved for generations. I am witting a TV series that vividly tell these stories with embedded solutions that can inspire and empower a young viewer and their family.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I love producing thoughts and visions into a work of art. From a poem inspiring a whole song to a traumatic event turning into a powerful collective of narratives that inspire a short film. Along with the bonus of paying the bills, media creatives continues to be my anger-management and my positive coping strategy. Daily I am reminded from former students and educators who confirm to me how impactful out time together was to their life. I’m proud of that the most!

Contact Info:

• Website: RAMMPages.com
• Instagram: @djphattybanks, @yrlit
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YRFacebook/?paipv=0&eav=AfY0hpAHbUhYYhyKyJrrWpMm3cJxNs6kBs9Fwe4Ty5X-Qw3LxANpC6Vfd8qRDf-U_dI
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt987CjN0k6CUCJJHydcRAg/videos?app=desktop