Jenifer Jeanette Lewis is an actress, singer and activist. She began her career appearing in Broadway musicals and worked as a back-up singer for Bette Midler before appearing in films Beaches and Sister Act. Lewis is known for playing roles of mothers in the films What's Love Got to Do With It, Poetic Justice, The Preacher's Wife, The Brothers, Think Like a Man and in the sequel Think Like a Man Too, Baggage Claim, and The Wedding Ringer, as well as in The Temptations TV miniseries. She also voiced Mama Odie in The Princess and the Frog. As such, Lewis earned the title "Mother of Black Hollywood", which is also the title of her memoir.

On television, Lewis starred as Lana Hawkins in the Lifetime medical drama Strong Medicine from 2000 to 2006. She also had recurring roles on sitcoms A Different World, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Girlfriends. In 2014, Lewis began starring as Ruby Johnson in the ABC comedy series Black-ish, for which she received two Critics' Choice Television Award nominations.

In 1990, Lewis was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She always knew something was wrong, and at first hid her disorder, as she was ashamed of it, but after 17 years of therapy and 10 years of being medicated for the disorder, she now embraces her mental illness. "You have to look in the mirror... and say—before you can go or grow into anything—you have to say you love yourself," she says.

Entertainers, Actress, Bipolar Disorder, Mental Health, Celebrity, Film Industry, Black Heritage, Black History Month, African-American Women, Diversity, Diversity Topics, BLM Television Actress, Movie Actress, Actors, Broadway, Acting, Television & Film, Health, Personal Growth, Motivational,