Best Selling Author

Reppin 5.9: Leeza Gibbons

Leeza Gibbons

Emmy Winner Leeza Gibbons is a household name and media powerhouse. She’s a Host, Reporter, Producer, for shows such as Entertainment Tonight, My Generation on PBS and her own long running talk show, LEEZA. She’s covered the gamut of stories from A List celebrities to the everyday heroes. She’s also a NY Times Bestselling author, with Take 2: Your Guide to Happy Endings and New Beginnings; and Fierce Optimism: 7 Secrets for Playing Nice and Winning Big.

She’s also a fierce advocate for caregivers and has a non-profit called Leeza's Care Connection. She founded this organization when her family was touched by Alzheimer’s, first with her grandmother, then her mother who battled and lost. Knowing the herculean role of a caregiver—Leeza’s Care Connection offers free services and support to help families cope when facing a chronic illness or disease.

She’s experienced both incredible highs and unbelievable lows. Through it all, she’s remained true to who she is and unfailingly optimistic. She’s sharing some of her defining moments and how she’s continued to succeed—without ever compromising her values and she reveals how she’s been able to stay NICE in a world that often times—isn’t.

Leeza’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeezaGibbons

Leeza’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezagibbons/?hl=en

Leeza’s Care Connection: https://leezascareconnection.org/

Leeza’s Walking App: https://www.openfit.com/plans/leeza/

Leeza’s books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=leeza+gibbons&sprefix=leeza+gi%2Caps%2C76&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_8

Reppin 3.7: AJ Mendez

AJ Mendez Photo Courtesy: Cathy and David Photography

AJ Mendez

Photo Courtesy: Cathy and David Photography

AJ Mendez is a former professional wrestling champion with the WWE under the ring name AJ Lee. Don’t let her diminutive stature fool you, she was a formidable opponent. She threw people around like a short order cook threw pancakes onto a plate. With her trademark black widow submission move, she easily took out her competitors. But in real life--nothing came easily for her.

In her autobiography, which was a New York Times best seller, Crazy Is My Super Power, she details what it was like being a petite Puerto Rican girl growing up in an unstable home, struggling with poverty, homelessness and mental illness to how comics, wrestling and her fans helped change her life. 

Because of her own personal struggles, she is a mental health advocate, and is an ambassador to The Jed Foundation and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

If that’s not enough, she also partnered with actress Aimee Garcia and founded Scrappy Heart Productions. Together, as Latin X storytellers, they want to create the change they want to see in the media and to tell stories that have universal themes.

She is a warrior. Meet this incredible woman, who is breaking boundaries, who has overcome so many personal challenges and now she’s out in front working to help others.

AJ’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheAJMendez

AJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theajmendez/

Mental Health Resources:

National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI.org

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)

Reppin Premiere with Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas

Reppin Premiere: Angie Thomas

Her award-winning, acclaimed debut novel, The Hate U Give, is a #1 New York Times bestseller and major motion picture from Fox 2000, starring Amandla Stenberg and directed by George Tillman, Jr and her second novel, On the Come Up also on the NYT best seller’s list comes by to kick off the premiere episode of Reppin.

Angie’s Website: https://angiethomas.com/

Angie’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/angiecthomas