Prowlthelab

Rest In Power: The Legacy of a Cultural Icon
On my birthday, I was on cloud nine. Not only had I completed another trip around the sun, but I was also just months away from celebrating five years cancer-free—a milestone that fills me with gratitude every single day. As a Black woman and bilateral breast cancer survivor, I was floating with joy for days—until I was brought swiftly back to earth.

On June 11, 2025, we lost a cultural beacon. For so many Black girls and young women growing up in the ‘90s and 2000s, she was the voice of a generation. Her name was Sarasvati Ananda Lewis. She was the reason we tuned in to MTV, week after week. Intelligent, funny, authentic, and undeniably beautiful, Ananda’s smile was contagious, as was her unwavering dedication to social justice.

Though many remember her as the iconic VJ on MTV’s Total Request Live, it’s her activism that truly defines her legacy. After MTV, Ananda went on to host Teen Summit on BET, spotlighting critical issues facing Black youth—including essential conversations about mental health. She also led MTV forums on school violence in the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy, demonstrating her lifelong commitment to addressing real-world problems.

Her advocacy didn’t begin on television; as a student at Howard University, Ananda was already deeply engaged in youth empowerment, serving as a trainer for the “Youth at Risk” program through the Youth Leadership and Development Institute. She brought the same passion to The Ananda Lewis Show, where over 250 episodes were dedicated to unpacking the social issues affecting young Black Americans.

Ananda’s impact extended further with her special, “True Life: I Am Driving While Black,” a powerful exploration of racial profiling that earned her an NAACP Image Award. Yet perhaps her most personal and profound activism came after her own breast cancer diagnosis in 2020. She openly shared her journey—one marked by courage, unconventional choices, and unwavering honesty. Ananda chose a path that felt right for her: detoxing her body, undergoing radiation, transforming her diet, and prioritizing rest. In 2023, her cancer progressed to Stage IV.

There has been much debate about Ananda’s treatment decisions, but here’s what we must remember: when you’re faced with cancer, your choices are yours to make. Ananda made the decisions that felt right for her at the time, and while she later second-guessed some, I refuse to join the chorus of condemnation. Instead, I choose to uplift her name and honor the power and beauty of her legacy.

Let her story be a call to action. I encourage every woman to know her cancer risk. According to new American Cancer Society guidelines, women now have the option to begin annual mammograms at age 40—a change made because so many are being diagnosed younger than ever before. Women aged 45 to 55 are strongly encouraged to get annual mammograms, while those over 55 can choose to continue yearly or switch to every other year.

To my fellow Black women: please, get screened according to these guidelines. Even today, Black women are still 40% more likely to lose their lives to breast cancer than our white counterparts. What I have come to understand is that a cancer diagnosis impacts not just you, but everyone that loves you—especially partners, children, parents, siblings, other family, and friends. Out of all the roles that Ananda filled, she was most proud of being a mother, daughter, sister, and friend. Let’s honor Ananda’s legacy—and protect our own lives—by prioritizing our health, our voices, and our well-being.

For every woman I tagged, I love you, I appreciate you, I celebrate you. Also, if you haven't done so this year, go get your damn mammogram!!🩷

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Watch Sara Sidner and Stephanie Elam's emotional tribute to Ananda Lewis Ananda Lewis, a former MTV VJ who connected a generation of music fans to their favorite celebrities on the music network, has died at age 52 from breast can...