Robert Alexander
Dr. Robert Mossi Alexander is an Oakland-born educator, counselor, filmmaker, and award-winning author whose young adult urban fiction centers the voices, struggles, and brilliance of youth growing up in communities too often misunderstood. Raised in East Oakland, his work reflects lived experience, cultural pride, and a deep belief that storytelling can interrupt cycles of violence while building pathways to healing and purpose.
His books—Can’t Let Nobody Ride My Bike, She Hit Me First, and He Hit Me First—explore the realities facing young people in urban neighborhoods: peer pressure, family instability, street violence, identity formation, and the search for belonging. But at their core, these stories are not about despair—they are about transformation.
In Can’t Let Nobody Ride My Bike: An Oakland Narrative and Hip Hop Soundtrack, Alexander captures the rhythm and complexity of growing up in East Oakland through the journey of Ronald Anderson and the 700 bike crew. Blending street narrative with cultural pride, the novel examines how young Black boys navigate masculinity, loyalty, ambition, and survival while dreaming beyond their circumstances.
She Hit Me First introduces readers to Jamillah, a spirited preteen whose aggression masks deeper emotional wounds. Through mentorship, friendship, and reflection, she begins to understand that strength is not found in striking first—but in choosing differently. The companion novel, He Hit Me First, follows Elijah, a young boy confronting anger, school conflict, and family pressure. Guided by his uncle and community mentors, Elijah learns discipline, emotional intelligence, and accountability—challenging harmful narratives around masculinity and redefining what power truly means.
Alexander’s storytelling is rooted in restorative principles, cultural affirmation, and the transformative potential of mentorship. As founder of Hood to Higher Education, he connects literacy with liberation—using books as tools to inspire youth of color to see themselves as scholars, leaders, and change agents. His work aligns with the belief that when young people see their neighborhoods, language, and lived experiences reflected in literature, they begin to imagine new futures for themselves.
Through his writing, Alexander speaks directly to youth from urban communities—especially those who may not yet see themselves as “readers.” His characters wrestle with real decisions and real consequences, offering readers both mirrors and windows: mirrors that validate their experience, and windows that open toward healing, self-discipline, and collective uplift.
At the heart of his young adult urban fiction is a simple but urgent message: our stories matter. When we center voices historically pushed to the margins, we don’t just tell better stories—we build stronger communities.
