Alexander was born and raised outside of Cleveland, Ohio—he loves his hometown and state despite all of the terrible jokes that might be circulating! He comes to 50CAN after spending five years as a strategic researcher with the Service Employees International Union, where he worked on eliminating inequities in the United States healthcare system. Before SEIU, he taught and worked for the French Education Ministry in Tours, France. His work experiences have reinforced his belief that successful solutions are only possible when you work and engage directly with affected communities.
Alexander spends much of his free time mentoring students in D.C. Public Schools. He is a mentor with Higher Achievement and Asian American LEAD and works one-on-one with students to support them in both academic and social environments. Alexander’s commitment to advocacy grows out of his middle school experiences with City Year’s Young Heroes. He holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and French from the College of Wooster.
I aspire to be like my wife, my mom and my grandmother. Here’s why:
My wife, my mom and my grandmother are all strong role models in my life; they have each helped me further understand the importance of creating communities that are supportive, guiding, critical and hardworking.
Every morning my wife wakes up to teach and create a supportive community for her students and their parents; I am consistently amazed by her relentlessness to support everyone inside and outside her classroom. My mother has been nothing short of my North Star; she has guided and talked me through almost every one of my life decisions. My grandmother does not sugarcoat experiences and I fully respect her candor when it comes to giving opinions. Ultimately, I aspire to be like all three of these women because they do not give up, they keep fighting and they work hard at what really matters.
I am inspired by 50CAN’s powerful model that connects, supports and develops local education leaders. I fully believe that high-quality education can only be achieved when systems are accessible to everyone and stakeholders understand that a one-size-fits-all approach is not an effective solution. I love dedicating my skills to ensure that the American Dream includes a great American education system.
I am the product of a great public school education. I was privileged to be afforded numerous education and co-curricular opportunities during my childhood. No child should grow up in America without equal access to the same opportunities I had.
Relinquishing control over something I am passionate about—just ask my wife what it is like when we cook dinner together.
This is a picture of the first classroom book I purchased for my wife when she started teaching. Her version of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom represents the opportunity and potential I see in our education system. It has been loved, lost, found and appreciated by many teachers, students and parents and I know it will continue to provide a foundation for generations of classrooms.