The official voice of "The Dana Brenklin Radio Show." Dana Brenklin is an abolitionist, Womanist, Yogi, spiritualist, and former entertainer. Dana Brenklin got her big break onto the music scene in high school while singing in the Crenshaw High School Elite Choir. Dana Brenklin has since interviewed some of the world's most talented singers, songwriters, filmmakers, and, actresses. "The Dana Brenklin Radio Show" has had guest appearances by nephew of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, singer/songwriter Austin Brown, filmmaker Nicole Conn and, actress and philanthropist Traci Dinwiddie. Dana is a former freelance writer for Lesbian.com and Smooth Jazz Magazine. She is also a fiery, rich, bluesy and as she has been told, "stone, stand up singer". R&B/Soul is her chosen genre, but this singer can tackle pop, rock, country, and gospel delivering to the crowd's amazement and pleasure every time. Dana is a writer, lyricist, poet, recording engineer, and two-time editor's choice award winner. She started singing in church and sang her first solo when she was just 4 years old at the New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, CA. In high school as a member of the world-renowned Crenshaw High School Elite Choir, she was able to appear along with the choir on "The Arsenio Hall Show", "Comic Relief", the "Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telethon", starring Lou Rawls, record with Rick James and appear on a variety show with Whoopi Goldberg. Dana also toured Nice, France performing in the “French Mardi Gras” in 1992 and 1993, toured Jamaica and performed at Disney World in 1991 and 1992 along with her high school choir. Upon graduating from high school, Dana started to pursue her dream of sharing her singing talent and at the tender age of 19, she recorded her first demo and was led to an a&r rep. at MCA records. That opportunity fell through, but that did not stop this young talented singer. Dana began participating in open mics at places such as the World famous “Lighthouse”, The Universal Bar and Grill”, covering music by greats such as Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. In 1995, still working toward her dreams she was cast as an extra in the feature film "Virtuosity", starring Denzel Washington. Dana has also appeared on television as a solo artist, one such credit being “The Unlimited Break Talent Show” that aired on cable television’s network “T.V. One”. In 2003 along with other students from The Los Angeles Recording School she was invited to Michael Jackson's Neverland Valley Ranch to work as a recording intern. Dana is also a dancer who participates in flash mobs and has appeared alongside other dancers on such variety shows as "Mobbed". In 2010 Dana appeared in the late, great Michael Jackson's music video "Hold My Hand", featuring Akon. In recent years Dana has sung background for Rowe Records' gospel sensation Carla B, made it to the second round of The 2012-2013 season of the Xfactor auditions, and was cast as a background actor in the hit television series, "Sons of Anarchy". In 2012 she released her single "Gone" on iTunes, and performed at The World Famous Viper Room in West Hollywood, CA. Dana Brenklin loves the arts, but she is also an advocate for justice and the truth. In the past, Dana worked for Stevie Wonder's KJLH radio station helping out "Front Page" host Dominique DiPrima. She has even found time to give back by participating in the Los Angeles LGBT Center's annual event, AIDS/LifeCycle. 2016 was Dana's third consecutive year participating in this event and her first year as captain of the all women's team, Team ChainChicks. ChainChicks went on to raise an amazing $28k for AIDS in its inaugural and only year. Upon completing her third AIDS/LifeCycle ride, Dana decided after many years of performing and riding, it was time for a break. Dana is currently on a 5-10 year sabbatical, studying to be a an African American Studies Professor. Dana graduated Magna Cum Laude from Los Angeles City College in the spring of 2020, she is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, a Ralph Bunche Scholar alumna, Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Semifinalist, and was invited to present her research on African Yoruba Goddess Yemoja and the Ifa religion at the 13th annual Berkeley Honors Research Symposium also in 2020. Dana is currently an English major, Ronald E. McNair Scholar, and Junior at UC Berkeley researching the Literature of Toni Morrison, colorism and how Morrison's discourse around colorism impacts Black feminist thought and theory. Please contact Dana for writing and research inquiries.
"The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth." -African Proverb
