Sharon Lewis
Sharon M. Lewis is a Canadian television personality and film director from Toronto, Ontario. She studied political science at the University of Toronto.[1] She was an actress and author before being the host of counterSpin on CBC Television in 2001, and then hosted ZeD, also for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.[2] She began her career on counterSpin with a special on the September 11 attacks.[1] She called herself an "activist," saying "it's a journalist's job to activate change through information... Who isn't passionate and is in the journalist field, otherwise I don't know what would drive you?"[1] After leaving ZeD, Ziya Tong took over as host.[3] Lewis subsequently established the company urbansoul inc., which promotes the art of minority women.[4]
During her acting career, she appeared on Degrassi: The Next Generation as the mother of Jimmy Brooks, who was played by rapper Drake. She also appeared in the film Troubled Waters.
In 2017 Lewis directed her Afro-futurist feature film Brown Girl Begins, a feature film prequel to the celebrated novel Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson.[5]
Sharon is a member of Film Fatales.
References
- John McKay, "Sharon Lewis finds activism experience a plus for new role as CounterSpin host," Western Star, Corner Brook, Newfoundland: October 6, 2001, pg. 30.
- Alex Strachan, "Audacious, energetic and offbeat: That's ZeD on CBC," The Vancouver Sun, October 23, 2002, pg. B.6.FRO.
- "Sharon Lewis calls it quits," Packet and Times, Orillia, Ontario: June 19, 2002, pg. A.9.
- "Hart House Lecture 2006: Biographies Archived 2005-11-23 at the Wayback Machine," University of Toronto, URL accessed 13 March 2007.
- "Canadian premiere of Brown Girl Begins at the Art Gallery of Ontario on Saturday The Caribbean Camera