Sanaa Banks
Sanaa Banks was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, and began her journey at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2020, where she has remained a dedicated Ram ever since. She earned her Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Sports and Health Management, combining her academic interests with a passion for equity and access in sports. During her undergraduate career, Sanaa was actively involved in student leadership, most notably serving as a Resident Assistant and as President of the Eta Tau Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she now continues her service as the Virginia State Facilitator for the Sorority’s South Atlantic Region.
Through her coursework in Sport and Fitness Management, Sanaa discovered a deep passion for sport justice and equity. Currently, she serves as a Graduate Assistant with the Youth Justice Sport Partnership (YJSP) under the guidance of Dr. Kalyn McDonough Smith. YJSP is a sport-based university-community partnership between the Center for Sport Leadership (CSL) and Virginia’s Department of Juvenile Justice’s Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Facility, operating a healing-centered life skills program for youth involved in the justice system.
Sanaa aspires to create more equitable, inclusive, and accessible opportunities in youth sports, working to ensure that every young person can benefit from the power of play, leadership development, and community through athletics.
