Oakland Hills, Milwaukee Rivers: A Memoir of Survival, Identity, and Purpose

Oakland Hills, Milwaukee Rivers: A Memoir of Survival, Identity, and Purpose (Second Edition)
By Dr. Keyimani L. Alford
It began with a knock.
Not loud. Not frantic. Just steady.
In a dim room in East Oakland, a boy sat on a dusty carpeted floor. No lights. No food. Just silence. He traced imaginary roads in the carpet, searching for an escape. Then came the knock. And with it, the beginning of everything changing.
In this bold and emotionally raw second edition, Dr. Keyimani L. Alford revisits his critically acclaimed memoir with new chapters and deeper reflections-offering an unflinching look at survival, identity, silence, and redemption.
From the fractured sidewalks of Oakland to the riverside stillness of Milwaukee, this is not just a coming-of-age story. It's a journey of truth-telling, grief, and the fight to reclaim one's own voice.
What's New in the Second Edition?- A healing fishing trip with Aunt Grace that redefines legacy- The silence after coming out to a mother who once said, "You'll always be my baby"- Losing belonging in church, and rediscovering sacred faith anyway- Unmasking generational trauma to fight for identity on your own terms
The Hills were abandonment, hunger, and fear.
The Rivers were resilience, family, and hope.- This memoir is for anyone who:- Grew up too fast- Stayed quiet to stay safe- Struggles with identity, loss, or reconciling their past
Is still learning how to forgive-and be free.
Early Praise for the Second Edition:
"Keyimani dives even deeper in this powerful second edition of Oakland Hills, Milwaukee Rivers. Raw, reflective, and emotionally gripping -this version hits harder and reaches places the first one didn't dare to go. With every turn of the page, I found myself pausing to reflect on my own life. His vulnerability isn't just shared - it's served, inviting us to grow through his truth. A must-read journey you won't want to put down."
- Playwright and Independent Filmmaker, Milwaukee
Bolder, deeper, and more transformative than ever.
A Note from the Author:
"I didn't write this from the finish line. I'm still healing, still becoming. But I wrote this for the child in me-and for the version of you who still needs to hear: You are not too broken to be whole."
Oakland Hills, Milwaukee Rivers isn't just a memoir.
It's a mirror. A reckoning. A declaration.
It's not about who Keyimani was-it's about who he's becoming.
And it dares you to ask the same of yourself.