The official voice of "The Dana Brenklin Radio Show." Dana Brenklin is currently an English Ph.D. Student at Cornell University. Dana is an abolitionist, Womanist, Yogi, spiritualist, and former entertainer. Before returning to higher education Brenklin was a Singer/Songwriter, and Radio Host. She got what she likes to call her big break onto the music scene in high school while singing in the Crenshaw High School Elite Choir. Brenklin has since interviewed some of the world's most talented singers, songwriters, filmmakers, and, actresses. "The Dana Brenklin Radio Show" 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 Smooth Jazz Magazine. She is also a fiery, rich, bluesy and as she has been told, "stone, stand up singer". R&B/Soul was her chosen genre, but this singer can tackle pop, rock, country, and gospel delivering to the crowd's amazement and pleasure every time. Brenklin is an academic, 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. Brenklin 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 Representative at MCA records. That opportunity fell through, but that did not stop this young talented singer. She 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. Brenklin 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. Brenklin is also a dancer who participates in flash mobs and has appeared alongside other dancers on such variety shows as "Mobbed". In 2010 she appeared in the late, great Michael Jackson's music video "Hold My Hand", featuring Akon. In recent years Brenklin has sung background for various artists, 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. In the past, Brenklin has worked for Stevie Wonder's KJLH radio station interning as a Production Assistant for "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, Brenklin decided after many years of performing and riding, it was time to return and commit to her education. 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 Bay Honors Research Symposium also in 2020. In 2021 Brenklin was the plenary speaker for the 29th Annual Ronald E. McNair Symposium at U.C. Berkeley. Brenklin is now a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, and as previously mentioned, a Ph.D. Student at Cornell University researching Black feminist thought and literary criticism.
"The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth." -African Proverb