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Tyra Banks (born December 4, 1973Tyra Banks is an African-American supermodel and television personality. She is one of the few African-Americans to be considered one of the top models in the world, and along with the United Kingdom's Naomi Campbell, one of the few Black supermodels of any kind.

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Banks was born in Inglewood, California and attended Immaculate Heart High School, an all-girls, independent Catholic private school in Los Angeles. Growing up, she was very thin and often teased; she was considered an ugly duckling. In an interview, the model later said that this was a very difficult time for her, as she developed a "very strong self-image problem." [1]

In 1991, Banks was soon to begin her freshman year at Loyola Marymount University when Elite modeling agency gave the 17-year-old her first modeling job. Prior to this entry into the fashion world, Banks had been rejected several times for modeling assignments. In fact, she states that she did not deem her first job to be the start of a long career in fashion: "An agent saw pictures of me and said that I was the only girl she wanted to take back to Paris […] I didn't leave thinking I was going to be some big fashion model. I just wanted to make money for college." [2]

Consequently, instead of heading to university, Banks went to Paris for fashion shows and soon gained international renown for her work. She has been featured in a variety of magazines, commercials, and billboards. Her modeling credits include CoverGirl, Swatch, Pepsi, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria's Secret, Ralph Lauren, and Dolce Gabbana, among others. Tyra has graced international fashion magazines. These magazine covers include Vogue, Elle, ELLEgirl, L'Officiel, Sports Illustrated, among others.

After several years, it emerged that Naomi Campbell was not particularly fond of Banks' increasing success, with the British supermodel trying to have Banks excluded from shows for Chanel. The pair has since reconciled differences at The Tyra Banks Show. Tyra has done runway shows in Paris, Milan, Tokyo, U.S., and London.

Despite these confrontations, Banks' career took off — she was the first African-American to be featured on the covers of catalog, but is most famous for her Victoria's Secret work — and in 1997 she won the prestigious Michael Award for Supermodel of the Year. In a time in which some fashion models were described as being too skinny, Banks stood out with a more voluptuous physique (she is 5' 10½" tall and her measurements are 34½-23½-35½). Banks had to work hard to persuade fashion designers that her physique was well-suited to the catwalk, and succeeded. "I was proactive [...] I told my agency to call Victoria's Secret, and I told them to call Sports Illustrated [...] I said my , saying, "I am totally against plastic surgery. A lot of people think I have breast implants because I have the biggest boobs in the business. But I was a 34C when I was 17… They stay up when I wear a push-up bra. But if people could see me when I come home and take off my bra, how could they think these are fake?" [3] she is known for being openly proud of her image problems as white women. They are proud of their bodies. Black men love big butts." (Such statements of course ignore the history of black American women's anxieties concerning hair straightening and skin bleaching; moreover, they play into stereotypes of black men.) Banks has made a point of shaking with her posterior while walking down the runway, particularly during Victoria's Secret fashion shows. This has been commented upon by fans of the supermodel, fellow supermodel Heidi Klum, as well as Banks herself.

Despite Banks's public disapproval of plastic surgery, photos of her teenage years clearly show that Banks has subjected herself to rhinoplasty and breast augmentation, the former perhaps several times.

Despite her tremendous success as a supermodel, Banks began venturing from modeling to becoming a media personality after 2000. She is the hostess, chief judge, and an executive producer of the UPN television show Since then, she has been in the studio working with experienced record producers such as Darkchild. She also acts as the patron for TZONE, a leadership program for young girls that according to the organisation, "reinforces core values of trust and support, challenges teen girls to resist negative social pressures, and enhances self-empowerment—inspiring girls to become confident leaders in their communities." She has also established the Tyra Banks Scholarship, a fund aimed at providing African-American girls the opportunity to attend her alma mater, Immaculate Heart High School.

Banks has had a number of high-profile relationships with men such as director John Singleton, basketballer Chris Webber, and Seal (who married another model Heidi Klum in 2005). Banks has expressed her preference for a relationship with a "normal guy" in order to escape the pressures of being together with another well-known celebrity and the media scrutiny that comes with it. Her personal wealth is estimated to be at over US$8.8 million from runway shows alone, making her one of the five richest supermodels at this time.

, a daytime talk show which premiered in the United States on September 12, 2005. The show features stories about everyday people mixed in with celebrity interviews, much like the early format of , to which her show is already being compared. Under the slogan "Every woman has a story", Banks promoted her show using emotional flashbacks to her own childhood and adolescence.

Banks has appeared in Michael Jackson's "Black or White" video where Glen Chin morphs into her, and with fellow supermodel Linda Evangelista in George Michael's "Too Funky" video. In 2005, she also recorded her first single, "Shake Ya Body," featuring basketball star Kobe Bryant.

Banks has had minor roles in many films over the years. Her debut in film came in 1995 with a small appearance in the critically acclaimed drama Higher Learning. She also appeared alongside now teen queen Lindsay Lohan in the disney movie