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 (2007-09) and Kita Whitmore on Let's Stay Together (2011-14) 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.

Life and career
Hubbard 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. 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. She began acting since the age of nine in commercials for McDonald's, Reebok, Sears, Kellogg's, MCI, and others.

Hubbard also appeared in magazine ads for Noxzema in 1997. She 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.

Before appearing on TV and Firm, Hubbard started out modeling with Ford. Ford's modelling agency told Hubbard that she needed an agency to assist with television and film.

Hubbard founded her own nonprofit called the 'Erica Hubbard Foundation'. Hubbard was inspired to created it because I she grew up on the South Side of Chicago, and 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 (United States) and the American Heart Association.