Lakyra Banks

Lakyra Banks is a dedicated journalist with a passion for storytelling. As the weekend morning anchor and weekday reporter for 40/29, she has covered various events in Arkansas since joining the team nearly three years ago. Prior to this role, Lakyra worked as an Emma Bowen Fellow and newscast producer at 40/29 after graduating from the University of Arkansas with a journalism degree. During her time at university, she also served as Vice President for the National Association of Black Journalists' chapter and gained experience reporting, producing, and anchoring for UATV. Notable stories in Lakyra's career include coverage of the 2022 gubernatorial race and the devastating tornado that struck central Arkansas in March 2023. Driven by her early interest in reading and storytelling, Lakyra now finds inspiration from the community's stories. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new coffee shops, listening to podcasts, reading, and traveling with her family. To share story ideas with Lakyra or learn more about her work, visit this biography link or reach out to her at lakyra.banks@hearst.com.