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Derrick N. Ashong, also known as DNA, is a seasoned broadcaster, musician, and digital media expert. A Harvard graduate, he has established a distinctive role as a specialist in connecting traditional and new media, using this expertise to develop innovative programming across digital and broadcast platforms.
DNA's band, Soulfege, is a critically acclaimed and original ensemble that blends Hip-Hop, Reggae, Funk, World Beat, and West African Highlife. Their music has been featured on major outlets such as MTV Africa, NPR, the Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, MNet Africa, ABC Chronicle, and BBC World Service, reaching an audience of 146 million worldwide.
As a prominent media figure, DNA hosts "The Stream" on Al Jazeera English. Launched in May 2011, the show merges new and traditional media, harnessing the power of social media to spread news. It curates online content and discussions while highlighting unheard voices to provide fresh perspectives from individuals on the ground.
Derrick also hosted "The Derrick Ashong Experience" on SIRIUS XM's Oprah Radio.
A multifaceted individual, DNA has lived in Brooklyn, New York; Voorhees, New Jersey; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and currently resides in Washington, D.C. During college, he was cast in Steven Spielberg's 1997 film Amistad. He returned to Cambridge to complete his degree before beginning a Ph.D. in African-American Studies and Ethnomusicology, ultimately leaving the program to focus fully on his creative and advocacy work.
Ashong has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Mo'Nique Show and has lectured globally on media as a tool for human development. His recent talks include engagements at the UN Foundation, London School of Economics, King's College (Cambridge), the Reconciliation Forum in Washington, D.C., the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and the UK Parliament on "The Obama Generation." He is a member of the Americas Business Council (*abc) Fellowship, a TED Global Fellow, a participant in the U.S.-Islamic World Forum’s Arts & Entertainment task force, and the first Spectrum Boston Fellow at the CITI Performing Arts Center. He founded Take Back the Mic, a youth-driven cultural movement that uses artistry and technology to empower young people. DNA also serves on the Board of Advisors for Children Mending Hearts, an organization promoting global arts exchanges between at-risk youth in the United States and children living in conflict zones worldwide.
