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Iyanla Van Zant

Biography

Writer/motivational speaker Iyanla Vehicle Zant endured a life suffering from sexual and home abuse, suicide efforts and anxious breakdowns before a religious breakthrough motivated her to manage her future. Departing her abusive spouse, she enrolled at Medgar Evers University, graduating near the top of her course and later learning law at the town University of NY. Following 3 years as a general public defender in Philadelphia, Vehicle Zant became an ordained minister, and in 1992 released her first publication, Tapping the energy Within: A Way to Self-Empowerment for Dark Women. Some best-sellers followed, included in this 1995’s THE WORTHINESS within the Valley: A Dark Woman’s Guideline Through Life’s Dilemmas, 1997’s The Soul of a guy: A Eyesight of Change for Dark Men and the ladies Who Appreciate Them and 1998’s 1 DAY My Soul Simply EXPOSED: 40 Times and 40 Evenings Towards Spiritual Power and Personal Development. In 1999, Truck Zant issued For the time being: The Music That Tells the storyplot, an album offering music from Beliefs Evans, Montell Jordan, Monifah among others. She proceeds release a inspirational audio CDs, led meditations, and spoken phrase musings on cultivating beliefs and wish. Her latest project, area of the Sounds True Internal Visions Series is certainly 2005’s Finding Beliefs in Challenging Times

Quick Facts


Full Name Iyanla Vanzant
Profession Actor, Motivational speaker, Author, YouTuber, Television presenter, Spiritual leader
Education Medgar Evers College, Virginia Union University
Nationality American
Spouse Charles Vanzant
Children Damon Vanzant, Nisa Vanzant, Gemmia Vanzant
Siblings Ray Harris
Awards Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Series
Music Songs Just a Prayer Away, Interlude: Have We Forgotten, In the Meantime, Wherever I Am, Interlude: Love Is Simple, Interlude: Fully Present, Interlude: Leaving Just Isn't Easy, Interlude: Who Do You Think You're Not, Closing: Do You Want to Be Free?, Interlude: How Do You Measure, Interlude: Is It Time, As Long as I Know, Never Knew Love Like This, Ain't No Way, Right Back Where I Started, You Haven't Lived, Is This Love, Neither of Us, Free
Albums In the Meantime-music That Tells the Story
Nominations NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional
TV Shows Oprah's Lifeclass, Starting Over, Iyanla: Fix My Life


  • Facts
  • Filmography
  • Awards
  • Salaries
  • Quotes
  • Trademarks
  • Pictures

#Fact
1 Is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
2 Iyanla means "great mother" in Yoruba (Nigerian) culture.
3 Has published 12 self-help books.
4 Worked in the Philadelphia public defender's office.
5 Earned a law degree from Queens College in 1986.
6 Became a Yoruba priestess in 1983.
7 Graduated from Medger Evers College in 1983.
8 Daughter, Nisa (b. 1974).
9 Daughter, Gemmia (b. 1972).
10 Son, Damon (b. 1970).
11 Was born in the back of a taxi.


Actress

Actress

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Oprah's the Life You Want 2014 TV Series
The Last Stand 2006 Cheryl's Mom

Self

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
2016 Election Night Viewing Party 2016 TV Movie Herself
It's Not You, It's Men 2016 TV Series Herself
Essence Ninth Annual Black Women in Hollywood 2016 TV Movie Herself
The Dr. Oz Show 2016 TV Series Herself
Super Soul Sessions 2015 TV Mini-Series Herself
Iyanla, Fix My Life 2012-2015 TV Series Herself / Herself - Host / Host / ...
Entertainment Tonight 2015 TV Series Herself
The Real 2015 TV Series Herself
Home & Family 2015 TV Series Herself
The Boris & Nicole Show 2015 TV Series Herself
Being 2015 TV Mini-Series Herself
The 46th Annual NAACP Image Awards 2015 TV Special Herself
Oprah Prime 2014 TV Series Herself
Oprah's Lifeclass 2012-2014 TV Series Herself
45th NAACP Image Awards 2014 TV Movie documentary Herself
One Christmas 2013 TV Special Herself
The Wendy Williams Show 2012-2013 TV Series Herself - Guest
Good Morning America 2012-2013 TV Series Herself - Guest
Sleeping Beauty: The Awakening 2013 Documentary Herself
Watch What Happens: Live 2013 TV Series Herself - Guest
The Talk 2012-2013 TV Series Herself - Guest
Rachael Ray 2012 TV Series Herself
Tavis Smiley 2004-2012 TV Series Herself / Herself - Guest
Super Soul Sunday 2012 TV Series Herself
The Oprah Winfrey Show 1999-2011 TV Series Herself
Black Girls Rock 2010 TV Movie Herself
The Mo'Nique Show 2010 TV Series Herself
Spiritual Liberation 2009 Video documentary Herself
Baisden After Dark 2008 TV Series Herself
The Salt-N-Pepa Show 2007 TV Series Herself
Starting Over 2003 TV Series Life Coach - Season Two (2004-
Iyanla 2001 TV Series Host
Moesha 2000 TV Series Herself
2000 Essence Awards 2000 TV Special Herself
The Chris Rock Show 1999 TV Series Herself
1999 Essence Awards 1999 TV Special Herself

Archive Footage

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Inside Edition 2015 TV Series documentary Herself - Life Coach

Won awards

Won awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovieAward shared with
2005 Daytime Emmy Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Special Class Series Starting Over (2003) · Jonathan Murray (executive producer)
· Mary-Ellis Bunim (executive producer)
· Millee Taggart (executive producer)
· Jim Johnston (co-executive producer)
· Linda Midgett (co-executive producer)
· Joan O'Connor (co-executive producer)
· Francesca James (producer)
· Jeannine Denholm (producer)
· Erin Lichtenstein (producer)
· Benjamin Greenberg (producer)
· Peter Steen (producer)
· Tracy Whittaker (producer)
· Adriane Hopper (producer)
· Jeanine Cornillot (producer)
· Lisa Weiss (producer)
· Susan Marya Baronoff (producer)
· Joe Alonso (producer)
· Peggy Murphy (producer)
·

Nominated awards

Nominated awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovieAward shared with
2007 Daytime Emmy Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Special Class Series Starting Over (2003) · Millee Taggart (executive producer)
· Jonathan Murray (executive producer)
· Adriane Hopper (supervising producer)
· Andrea Bailey (supervising producer)
· Laura Korkoian (supervising producer)
· Linda Midgett (supervising producer)
· Tracy Whittaker (supervising producer)
· Sasha Alpert (producer)
· Jule Gilfillan (producer)
· Kara Hogan Leonardo (producer)
· Raquel Velasquez (producer)
· Trisha Boyd (producer)
· Nicole Policicchio (producer)
· Dana DeMars (line producer)
· Rhonda Britten (host)
· Stan J. Katz (host)
· Cat Santarosa (producer)
2006 Daytime Emmy Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Special Class Series Starting Over (2003) · Jonathan Murray (executive producer)
· Millee Taggart (executive producer)
· Linda Midgett (co-executive producer)
· Joan O'Connor (co-executive producer)
· Andrea Bailey (supervising producer/producer)
· Laura Korkoian (supervising producer)
· Tracy Whittaker (supervising producer)
· Jeanine Cornillot (supervising producer)
· Adriane Hopper (supervising producer)
· Julia Silverton (supervising producer)
· Jennifer Byrne (coordinating producer)
· Roger C. Memos (coordinating producer)
· Maria Akl (producer)
· Joe Alonso (producer)
· Sasha Alpert (producer)
· Eric Anderson (producer)
· James Gavin Bedford


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