Alexis Dean Jr.
Bio
Alexis “L.E.X” Dean Jr. is a clean Hip-Hop artist, poet, and educator from Milwaukee, WI. As a writer and music artist, he focuses on the importance of educating through his words and stories...
IG: @DreamsStartYoung
Stories (140/0)
If I Started A Book Club For Black Men
For the last three years, I’ve been in a book club orchestrated by my girlfriend. As the lone man in a book club with only Black women, it has been a powerful journey. Often I find myself just listening and absorbing all of the knowledge that surrounds me. It’s beautiful to be welcomed in a vulnerable space. Other times I’m looking around and asking myself, “WHERE ARE THE BLACK MEN?!” If I’m being honest, I feel more comfortable in a room full of women than with men (I’ll figure this out with my therapist in the future), but I do think some great positivity could come from a group full of Black men reading together. So, I took myself on a journey all alone, and put together a group of books I think would be great for my own book club.
By Alexis Dean Jr.8 months ago in BookClub
4 Long Years As A Vocal Writer
I started my eventful writing relationship with Vocal four years ago, and I’m truly happy that I did. As I reflect on why I’m here, I remember that I wanted this to be a space where I could be vulnerable, honest, and even if I didn’t win any cash I’d at least get to express myself in a way that I don’t feel as comfortable to in other spaces as a Black man. So, as I read through the many different prompts I’ve tackled, I admire how I followed through with writing pieces that I felt wouldn’t win but were still necessary to write. Whether they would be viewed as too political, too Black, too sad, or too different. I also admire that my writing has never been flagged, and I’ve never felt discouraged to share my story.
By Alexis Dean Jr.9 months ago in Writers
Hamilton: The Hip-Hop Musical
Lin-Manuel Miranda could’ve used Hip-Hop as a tool to trivialize, mock, and disappoint every MC who has ever touched a microphone. Instead, with “Hamilton” he uses brilliant storytelling to captivate audiences that probably trivialized, mocked, and discredited Hip-Hop since its birth.
By Alexis Dean Jr.9 months ago in Critique
I Am Who I Am (Memoir)
Two of the memories I have left of my dad are of him blind with rage. I think I’ll never forget them because they told me more about life than just the goofy good times and laughing uncontrollably together. One of these memories involves two other people who it feels like devoted years of their lives to solely take care of me and my dad. My grandmother and Uncle Harvey.
By Alexis Dean Jr.9 months ago in Chapters
- Top Story - September 2023
The Story Of An AngelTop Story - September 2023
Grandma once told me that angels are special spirits and the guardians of our world. Their true home is at a very distant destination surrounded with astonishing unfathomable wonders. Many books call that Heaven, but she didn’t give this place a name. She couldn’t quite describe what it looked like with words, but as I watched her stare blankly and smile I could feel the joy radiating from her face. It was the joyous smile I had whenever I finally pieced together images of what I could remember from my dreams, but with the intensity of a past memory you’d desperately hold so it doesn’t slip away again.
By Alexis Dean Jr.9 months ago in Fiction
The First Tower
Many, many, years ago… When the world was created, so were the humans. The humans lived a wonderful life alone, but soon they began to see the troubles that started to grow around them. Tension for the surrounding food and water began to rise as the other creatures started to share their space, and the humans quickly became more vulnerable and weak. After needing to leave their home again and again searching for protection, a warrior sought out on a journey alone for help. He marched day and night through the heat of Africa until he could no longer move, and pleaded on his knees to the starry sky for three wishes.
By Alexis Dean Jr.10 months ago in Fiction