From Chicago’s South Side to screens across America, Erica Hubbard has built a dynamic career as an actress, model, producer, and philanthropist. Audiences know her from Akeelah and the Bee, Lincoln Heights, and Let's Stay Together, while her work through The Erica Hubbard Foundation reflects an equally powerful commitment to uplifting young people. Early Life and Education Growing up on Chicago’s South Side, Erica Hubbard discovered the thrill of performing at just nine years old. Stage plays soon led to commercials for major brands, including McDonald’s, Noxzema, Reebok, Sears, and Kellogg's. She carried that drive into Columbia College Chicago, completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in only three years, with a major in Journalism and a minor in Theater. Career Highlights Hubbard launched her professional career behind the microphone with voice-over work before stepping into the spotlight as host of the Chicago children’s television show Up 'N Running on WPWR, a UPN affiliate. Her energetic work earned both a Regional Emmy and a Service To America Award from the National Association of Broadcasters. She soon made her mark on film in Save the Last Dance (2001), A Cinderella Story (2004), The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005), and Akeelah and the Bee (2006). Television brought even greater recognition through her standout roles as Cassandra “Cassie” Sutton on Lincoln Heights (2007–2009) and Kita Whitmore on BET’s Let's Stay Together (2011–2014). Her versatile résumé also includes voicing Abbey in The Replacements and appearances in CSI: Miami, Chicago Med, and Everybody Hates Chris. Never content to stay in one lane, Hubbard expanded into producing with credits such as The Last Fall and Policies and Procedures, and she became a member of the Producers Guild of America. She continues to bring memorable characters to life, including Ernestine in BET Plus Network’s The Family Business: New Orleans. Philanthropy Beyond the screen, Hubbard channels her influence into creating opportunities for others. Through The Erica Hubbard Foundation, she mentors at-risk youth and provides scholarships, visiting schools, community centers, and churches to inspire children to stay in school and pursue promising futures. She also lends her support to organizations such as the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the American Heart Association.