Ananda Lewis was my VJ. What’s a VJ? In the 1990s and 2000s, when MTV still played music videos, the hosts were Video Jockeys (similar to DJs, but for video) or hosts. That was the coveted role for any New York City kid growing up in the late 90s with showbiz ambition. I was one of those kids, and the moment the opportunity arose, I did something I had never done as a teen: I asked, “How can I get there?” “How can I do this too?” and my guiding post was Ananda.
She was this gorgeous, vivacious, curly-haired, black girl that I saw myself in. I met Ananda multiple times. I was a regular audience member on TRL and other MTV shows. When Ananda got her talk show, I was in the audience there too.
She encouraged me, supported me, and I went on to create SINISTER GIRLZ, a music zine covering bands that played in New York City. I eventually stepped out of my comfort zone from being the scene’s person and taking initiative, and became the reporter and photographer.
Ananda was one of my role models. She was the sweetest person I had met in showbiz. When I learned of her passing, I paused. I stared at the headline, and I refused to let it sink in. “If I scroll away, it won’t be true,” I told myself.
I wish we had kept in touch, but as MTV evolved, so did my musical interests. She’s gone now, but to me, she lives on. Her kindness, her spirit, honesty, and integrity live on.
RIP Ananda, you meant the world to me.