Erica Hubbard
Erica Hubbard is an American actress and model. Hubbard grew up in Chicago. Hubbard is best known for her roles as Kiana Anderson in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee, Cassandra "Cassie" Sutton on the ABC Family series Lincoln Heights and Kita Whitmore on Let's Stay Together on the BET network. She is also the voice of Abbey for the TV series The Replacements. She created "The Erica Hubbard Foundation" to help youth in at-risk communities.
Career
Hubbard appeared in magazine ads for Noxzema in 1997.Hubbard started out modeling with Ford. Ford's modeling agency told Hubbard that she needed an agency to assist with television and film.
After graduating college, she landed her first television show entitled Up 'N Running: a teen show that focused on educating kids on a variety of different topics of interest, from education to horseback riding, to playing hockey or learning how to make ice cream. The show aired on WPWR, a UPN affiliate in Chicago. By the time the third season had started airing, she had already won a Regional Emmy award for hosting the show and earned a Service To America Award from the National Association of Broadcasters.
Hubbard has appeared in the films Simon Says, Akeelah and the Bee, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Save the Last Dance, A Cinderella Story, as well as numerous television series including Lincoln Heights, CSI: Miami, and Everybody Hates Chris. She also had a voice role in the video game "The Walking Dead"..
Personal
Hubbard was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. She attended Columbia College in Chicago where she majored in Broadcast Journalism and minored in Theater and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in three years.Hubbard founded her own nonprofit called the 'Erica Hubbard Foundation'. Hubbard was inspired to create it because of her personal experience growing up on the South Side of Chicago, where she was exposed to a lot of violence. The Erica Hubbard Foundation sees Hubbard visiting community centers, high schools, elementary schools, and churches and talking to children. "I encourage them to stay in school and stay off of the streets" says Hubbard. Hubbard continued her pursuit in giving back by making an appearance on pop soul RnB artist DeAna Fai's podcast DeAna Fai presents Kings and Queens of Entertainment Reunion Recap and Giveback; along with other celebrities supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the American Heart Association.
Hubbard was married for thirteen years, she divorced around 2019.
Hubbard has three children.
Her eldest daughter is Olympic hopeful Kyla Robinson Hubbard. Her youngest daughter was born in 2012.