Let us not be reductive in our memory of Ananda Lewis. Black women already endure more of this than we deserve.

As a Black female voice in media, Ananda Lewis’s impact broke many invisible barriers, challenging stereotypes and paving the way for the generation that followed.

She did it all, impeccably,” writes Gideon Yago of his late former colleague, who died this week at the age of 52.

But there was networks such as BET and MTV, where women like LaLa, Free, and Ananda Lewis anchored our imaginations. They were Sidney Shaw's in real-time: smart, stylish, grounded women who knew their ...

Ananda Lewis, who rose to fame as an MTV VJ and hosted shows like "Total Request Live" before launching her own talk show, has died at age 52 after a Stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis.

Former MTV star and daytime talk-show host Ananda Lewis passed away on June 11, 2025, at age 52 after a courageous battle with stage IV breast cancer, confirmed by her sister Lakshmi via Facebook ...

Lewis was one of the first big video jockeys on MTV. She began her career by hosting BET's "Teen Summit" for three seasons before moving over to MTV in 1997 to host "TRL" and "Hot Zone." ...

She then left the network to host The Ananda Lewis Show, a syndicated television chat show. From 2004 to 2005, she worked as a correspondent for The Insider. She later pursued a career in carpentry.

Lewis, who was born March 21, 1973, in Los Angeles, began her career on BET when she landed a role as host of "Teen Summit" in 1993, a talk show program that focused on issues faced by Black teens ...

Ananda Lewis was one of MTV’s best personalities in the late 1990s. After pursuing her own hosting career in the 2000s, she became an advocate for women’s health when she was diagnosed with ...

Ananda Lewis chose 'natural' cancer care over conventional treatment. Many others do too -- and it's risky Alternative therapies for cancer care can have dire consequences, experts say.