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.

CNN anchor Sara Sidner and correspondent Stephanie Elam broke down on air while sharing the final message from MTV VJ Ananda Lewis, who died Wednesday following a prolonged battle with breast cancer.

Ananda Lewis has died at the age of 52. She became known in the '90s as a BET host and MTV VJ before launching her own TV talk show. In 2020, she revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.