Alicia Dhanifu

Alicia Dhanifu, M.F.A., UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television graduate, is the first American to write, produce, direct and appear in Special Projects for the Creative Production and Training Center, located in Jamaica, West Indies. In 2019, the City of Pasadena awarded her a Certificate of Recognition for Exemplary Service to the Community for Outstanding Achievements in education and the arts. In 2020, Professor Dhanifu was awarded a Certificate of Congressional Recognition by Judy Chu, Ph.D., Member of Congress, 27th District, for being a Community Role Model of Outstanding Achievements and High Standards of Excellence, working with Aspires West, Pasadena.

She directed, produced, wrote and appeared in the documentary, Bellydancing — a History & an Art, while a student at UCLA. As co-producer of Penitentiary, she has been a guest speaker at the Rotterdam and Florence film festivals. Dhanifu also wrote, produced and directed the American scenes of the Italian drama, Summer Affair.

Dhanifu wrote, produced and served as host for the cable television series, Fitness for You, which featured celebrity guests. She was the writer, producer and director of To Be Young Today's Musical Drama, which premiered to standing ovations in a special presentation in Atlanta in 1990, in Brunswick, Georgia, and at the University of Arkansas in the Hathaway Theater in 2000. 

Her work in Jamaica included an series of three environmental infomercials on coastal resources; Building Bridges, a program sponsored by UNESCO that addressed issues concerning gender bias against women who worked in non-traditional jobs in the Caribbean; and the documentary Meadowbrook United Church, which highlighted the scope and reach of the church's diverse outreach programs. 

She currently teaches language arts and performing arts in the Los Angeles Community College District, primarily at Los Angeles City College. She is also the writer, producer and director of the Fitness and Fun Instructional Series. As a wellness/lifestyle consult, she offers multicultural life skills and educational seminars and workshops. Dhanifu is a member of SAG-AFTRA and the American Federation of Teachers.