Television personality Ananda Lewis passed away on Wednesday, June 11 after a courageous battle with breast cancer. She was 52.
“As the host of BET’s ‘Teen Summit,’ she didn’t just lead conversations—she sparked change, empowering a generation to speak up, love themselves, and think deeper,” BET said in a tribute to her on their social media channels. “Her impact lives on through the countless lives she touched, both on and off screen.”
Her sister Lakshmi Lewis announced news of her death in a Facebook post.
“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” she wrote. “Lord, rest her soul.”
Born in Los Angeles and raised in San Diego, Lewis was a graduate of Howard University, She captured the attention of mainstream popular culture when she became a VJ for MTV in 1997. Lewis hosted some of the network’s most popular shows like “Hot Zone” and “Total Request Live.” In 1999, she was dubbed “the hip-hop generation’s reigning ‘It Girl’ by The New York Times.