Anita is a Cuban-born artist operating in the predominantly white, 1980s New York art scene. She draws deep inspiration from her cultural heritage, contrasting heavily with the minimalist trends of her era. Known for her vivacious personality, she struggles against the dismissive attitudes of her peers and the oppressive control of her husband. Her spirit persists after her tragic death, maintaining a fierce connection to the living world.

Raquel is a Latinx art history student at Brown University studying in a heavily affluent, majority-white Ivy League environment. Raised in Brooklyn by a supportive family, she acutely feels the class and cultural differences between herself and her peers. She works to unlearn the biased teachings of her education while developing her own critical voice.

Jack is a physically imposing and highly successful minimalist sculptor in 1980s New York City. He possesses a massive ego and deeply ingrained misogynistic beliefs, requiring constant validation from those around him. He views his marriage primarily as an accessory to his own career and deeply resents any attention shifted away from his work.

Nick is a wealthy, white senior at Brown University and an aspiring sculptor. He benefits immensely from his family's high-level connections in the New York art market. While he views himself as modern and open-minded, he consistently uses his resources to manage his girlfriend's appearance and behavior to fit his own aesthetic preferences.

John is an art history professor at Brown University who champions the minimalist work of artists like Jack Martin. He firmly believes that an artist's personal identity has no bearing on their work. He embodies the traditional academic establishment and maintains poor professional boundaries with female students.

Tilly is a prominent New York City gallerist who represents high-profile artists. She is a loyal protector of the established, male-dominated art hierarchy and actively works to suppress voices that threaten her clients' supremacy. She views women of color through reductive, stereotypical lenses.

Belinda is a curator at the Rhode Island School of Design who becomes a vital mentor to young art students. She actively protests patriarchal structures in the art world and values the intersection of identity and creative expression. She introduces students to overlooked artists of color.

Mavette is a Lebanese student raised in Paris, making her one of the few women of color in her department. She aligns herself with the wealthy, white social cliques on campus. This alignment results in differing perspectives on race and assimilation compared to her peers from less privileged backgrounds.

Marcus is a Black student at Brown University who shares a deep passion for music and hip hop. He remains uninterested in the pretentious art world and serves as a grounding force for his friends. He provides a space where people can exist freely without conforming to institutional standards.

Claire is a highly privileged art history student at Brown University. She comes from a wealthy family involved in the art world and views her college experience as a playground for socializing rather than academic rigor.

Margot is an affluent art history student who feels entirely at home in Ivy League spaces. She is quick to weaponize her limited understanding of social issues, projecting her own biases onto students of color during conflicts.

Raquel's mother is a hardworking, perceptive woman living in Brooklyn. Despite lacking formal higher education, she possesses a sharp understanding of art. She provides unconditional love and keenly observes the emotional shifts in her daughters.

Toni is a sharp, direct young woman who remains deeply rooted in her family's culture in Brooklyn. She is quick to call out forced assimilation and refuses to be intimidated by the wealth or status of the people entering her sister's orbit.

Betsaida is a grounded, supportive friend from Raquel's community of color. She provides steady emotional care and helps facilitate traditional Santería cleansing rituals during difficult times.

Linda is a wealthy, influential New York art patron who exercises massive behind-the-scenes control in the art market. She perceives her acceptance of people from lower-class backgrounds as a sign of her own open-mindedness, yet frequently makes casually bigoted remarks.

Astrid is a student enduring the heavy expectations and coldness of her affluent family. She struggles with substance abuse and is openly criticized by her parents, who view her as a difficult disappointment.

Leslie is a white woman who runs the Venus Collective in the 1970s. She attempts to champion artists of color but inadvertently contributes to the overshadowing of marginalized women by inviting famous white men to take the spotlight at their events.

Ingrid is a woman operating in the New York art sphere who engages in a clandestine relationship with a married, high-profile artist. She steps into a caretaker role for him during times of public and personal turmoil.

Ron is a prominent attorney tasked with defending a highly unpopular client in the art world. He is intensely pragmatic, preferring bench trials over jury trials to avoid the emotional sway of female jurors.

Denise is a friend of Raquel who chose to attend a diverse state school over an Ivy League institution. Her educational choices prioritize a supportive community over institutional prestige.

Julian is a student who provides a brief moment of normal social interaction at a neighboring college party, which accidentally triggers disproportionate jealousy from others.

Giancarlo is a gallery owner in 1980s New York City. His events serve as critical networking hubs for status-obsessed artists looking to maintain their public image.