On Tuesday, May 5th, the New York State Senate honored Dana G. Elden as Senator Serrano's 2026 Woman of Distinction.

The annual Women of Distinction event, hosted by the New York State Senate, recognizes outstanding women from across New York who have made meaningful contributions to their communities, broken barriers, and uplifted others through service, leadership, and perseverance. 

Dana G. Elden has dedicated her life to faith, family, and service to the South Bronx community.

After moving to the Bronx in 1965, she was introduced to community involvement through organizations such as the Girl Scouts and the Junior Tau Gamma Delta Sorority. Inspired by her parents and grandmother, who instilled in her a deep sense of responsibility to serve others, Ms. Elden carried those values with her throughout her life.

Although she initially worked in the private sector, Ms. Elden remained committed to community leadership. Since 1988, she has served in various roles, including leadership positions in parent/ teacher and tenant associations. In the mid-1990s, she began working in community development, holding long-term contracts with East Side House, where she helped administer South Bronx after-school programs and designed parent workshops.

Later, Ms. Elden worked with Nos Quedamos/We Stay, contributing to grant writing efforts that supported the revitalization of Melrose Commons, a redevelopment effort spanning 156th to 163rd Streets between Courtlandt and Teller Avenues. These projects helped bring new housing and community development to the neighborhood, including the construction of Boricua College.

Ms. Elden’s life took another meaningful turn when she became the guardian of her two special needs grandsons, Joshua and Alexander, whom she lovingly raised while continuing to serve her community.

In 2018, she became President of the St. Mary’s Park Houses Tenant Association, deepening her leadership in public housing advocacy. Ms. Elden is also a founding member of Residents to Preserve Public Housing, an organization formed in 2019 and incorporated in 2023 with the support of TakeRoot Justice to ensure long-term advocacy and unity among residents.

A devoted woman of faith, Ms. Elden serves as a chaplain with the NYS Christian Community Chaplains Workforce and is an active member of St. Luke Baptist Church in Harlem. Today, she continues to serve the residents of St. Mary’s Park Houses and the surrounding South Bronx community with compassion, faith, and a commitment to uplifting others.

Through decades of service, Ms. Elden has remained guided by her belief that helping others and strengthening community is part of God’s purpose for her life.

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