Shirin is a 16-year-old Muslim sophomore born in America to Persian immigrant parents. She wears a hijab and constantly faces racist remarks and assumptions from peers and teachers in her post-September 11 environment. To protect herself from the frequent intolerance, she maintains thick emotional barriers and a harsh outward demeanor. She devotes her free time to practicing breakdancing and listening to music through headphones hidden under her headscarf.

Ocean is a white high school junior and a highly popular star player on the school's basketball team. He approaches interactions with an open, sincere attitude, showing a direct interest in getting to know Shirin. He expresses frustration with the intense pressure placed on his athletic performance by the school community and his coach.

Navid is Shirin's easygoing older high school senior brother who makes friends easily despite moving frequently. He organizes a school breakdancing club and invites his sister to join as a way to share their mutual interest. He deals with dyslexia, an obstacle he manages with past tutoring help from his sister.

Shirin's mother is a Persian immigrant who moved her family to the United States to seek better opportunities. She enforces strict household rules, demanding daily family dinners to maintain closeness. She holds a resilient, practical worldview shaped by her past experiences with war and revolution.

Shirin's father is a Persian immigrant with an intense curiosity for random, intellectual topics. He analyzes everyday items and concepts deeply, sharing his enthusiasm for hardware stores and poetry. Like his wife, he maintains a strict household but occasionally offers his daughter philosophical advice.

Carlos is a high school student with prior breakdancing experience. He joins Navid's crew and acts as an older-brother figure to Shirin. He communicates bluntly, initially questioning how Shirin will manage headspins while wearing her hijab.

Bijan is a member of Navid's breakdancing crew. He actively helps train the group by demonstrating advanced moves like backflips. He trusts his fellow crew members and confides personal details to them during practice.

Jacobi rounds out Navid's breakdancing crew. He observes group dynamics closely and offers advice when others struggle with social interactions. He helps assess the crew's progress as they prepare for potential battles.

Yusef is a Lebanese Muslim high school student who shares classes with Navid. He actively approaches others to make conversation, recognizing the courage it takes to wear a headscarf in their current environment. He attempts to build a social connection with Shirin and her family.

Coach Hart leads the high school's highly successful basketball team. He places immense importance on maintaining the team's undefeated record and views the sport as the top priority for his players. He expects complete dedication from his athletes.

Linda is Ocean's mother. She received a large inheritance following the sudden death of her parents, which triggered years of emotional distance from her son. She currently focuses her attention on dating and maintaining her social life.

Amna is an Indian high school student who also faces bigotry from her classmates. She initially judges other students for their choices but eventually recognizes the shared difficulties they face regarding intolerance.

Mr. Jordan is a high school teacher who leads the Global Perspectives class and sponsors the school's breakdancing club. He relies on interactive experiments to teach his students but occasionally fails to consider the emotional impact of these public exercises.

Travis is a student in Mr. Jordan's class. He participates in a classroom exercise where he is forced to evaluate a peer publicly, resulting in an awkward and uncomfortable situation for everyone involved.