Supply: Paul Archuleta / Getty
Ananda Lewis, the beloved tv host, journalist, and fierce advocate for Black girls’s well being, has handed away following a years-long battle with stage 4 breast most cancers. Her sister, Lakshmi, confirmed the information in a Fb put up.
Ananda was 52.
RELATED CONTENT: Ananda Lewis, Trailblazing MTV VJ And Speak Present Host, Dies At 52
Ananda Lewis Was The It Lady In The ’90s – We Beloved To See Her
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I received to know Ananda later in life, and she or he left a long-lasting impression on me. However I used to be not the one one.
A complete era of Black girls noticed themselves mirrored in Ananda—sensible, grounded, fashionable, and unapologetically actual. She first captured hearts within the late ’90s as a bunch of BET’s Teen Summit and rapidly grew to become one of the crucial recognizable faces in media when she joined MTV in 1997. Internet hosting reveals like TRL and Sizzling Zone, Ananda was that lady – elegant, quick-witted, and all the time prepared when the cameras got here on.
Although she joked with me as soon as about not having grown up with cable (or seeing the reveals she would later host), she grew to become the face of a few of its most iconic programming. Ananda linked with audiences nationwide and interviewed a few of the greatest stars of the time – from Future’s Baby and Britney Spears to Brandy and Hillary Clinton.
Ananda Lewis Makes use of Her Breast Most cancers Prognosis To Empower Others & Elevate Consciousness
In 2020, Ananda shared with the world that she had been identified with breast most cancers – a deeply private revelation that grew to become a brand new chapter in her legacy. She defined that she had prevented mammograms for years because of issues about radiation publicity.
RELATED: Ananda Lewis Opens Up About Her Battle With Stage 3 Breast Most cancers
However in true Ananda vogue, she didn’t keep silent. As a substitute, she turned her story right into a platform, utilizing her voice to lift consciousness and urge different Black girls to prioritize their well being.
Whilst her most cancers progressed to stage 4, Ananda stayed intentional. She selected a holistic method to care and was clear about not present process a double mastectomy regardless of medical suggestions. She targeted on eradicating toxins and sustaining what she outlined as a top quality of life. In February 2025, she printed a strong essay in Essence, the place she spoke brazenly about her journey and the significance of listening to your physique:
“We’re not meant to remain right here endlessly,” she wrote. “We come to this life, have experiences, after which we go. Being actual about that with your self adjustments the way you select to stay. I don’t wish to spend yet another minute than I’ve to struggling unnecessarily. That, for me, isn’t the standard of life I’m concerned with. When it’s time for me to go, I would like to have the ability to look again at my life and say I did precisely what I needed to.”
That quote captures the spirit of the lady so many knew and admired. Ananda lived by her personal guidelines.
Ananda Lewis’ Legacy Lives On
She was born in Los Angeles in 1973, attended an arts highschool, and graduated from Howard College. Her profession ultimately landed her first large function on Teen Summit, however her affect prolonged past tv.
Those that labored along with her noticed firsthand how devoted she was to shifting conversations, particularly round Black girls’s well being. She made area for the reality, even when it was onerous.
That’s how I got here to know her.
I had the chance to work along with her as she started sharing extra about her most cancers journey publicly. She was captivated with getting in entrance of audiences that mattered—particularly Black girls—and ensuring her story helped another person.
She leaves behind a legacy rooted in voice, imaginative and prescient, and influence. And for the ladies who grew up watching her – and for these of us who received to be taught from her, chuckle along with her, and work along with her – in the present day is hard.
Relaxation in energy, Ananda.
Scroll to see photos of Ananda by the years.
Ananda Lewis By The Years: Remembering Her Life, Legacy, Magnificence, & Energy was initially printed on hellobeautiful.com
1. Ananda Lewis Ate In 1999 At The MTV Music Awards
Supply: Getty
Ananda Lewis is serving the ladies on the 1999 MTV Music Awards in NYC. Get into the black, the leather-based, and the physique! Ananda has all the time been that lady.
