The speaker of the collection is a young, first-generation Mexican American raised in Calumet City, Illinois. He experiences childhood insecurities regarding his weight and feels immense pressure to assimilate into white American culture. As he grows older, he confronts his complicated feelings about his heritage, ultimately affirming his Mexican identity while living in the space between two nations. He uses humor, keen observation, and vulnerability to process his family history, systemic racism, and personal heartbreak.

An immigrant from Mexico who works physically demanding jobs to provide for her family. She is deeply devoted to her children, constantly texting José and preparing pots of frijoles out of concern that he is too skinny. She relies on her religious faith, frequently sending her son Jesus memes on Facebook, and projects a glowing presence of unconditional affection despite her difficult life.

A Mexican immigrant who takes a job at a Chicago-area steel mill to support his family. When the mill closes, he faces the foreclosure of the family home. He is an emotionally reserved man who struggles to verbally express affection, responding to his son's declaration of love with a mere grunt and nod. During José's childhood, he administers corporal punishment with a belt, presenting the discipline as an extension of God's will and an act of love.

José's younger sibling, who experiences severe poverty as a young adult. Despite being entirely broke and unemployed—unable to even afford a fast-food meal—he achieves academic success by gaining acceptance into a graduate program. His educational milestone brings pride to his parents while highlighting the precariousness of upward mobility for immigrants.

José's abuelita, who represents a deep, enduring connection to his Mexican heritage. She prepares masa for the surrounding neighborhood. Her death causes José profound grief, forcing him to learn how to recover joy while accepting the inevitability of loss.

A young woman who meets José for a date and bonds with him over their shared appreciation for Kanye West's music. She provides critical emotional support over the telephone on the day his grandmother passes away, representing a mature, grounding presence in his romantic life.

A friend of José who shares his confusion about the behaviors of white Americans. He observes how normalized violence has become in mainstream society, noting that white people on television seem completely unbothered by killings.

The gatekeeper of the afterlife, reimagined in the collection's poetic sequences as a Mexican man named Pedro. He keeps a formal list of entrants but frequently gets drunk and forgets to check it, allowing all Mexicans to enter heaven regardless of their religious adherence. He greets new arrivals with a shot of tequila.

The Christian savior, recontextualized as a familiar presence in a Mexican neighborhood. He bears a tattoo of La Virgen de Guadalupe on his back and questions the historical white-washing of his own Middle Eastern identity, engaging in humorous dialogue with the speaker about race.

The supreme deity who takes on multiple forms in the speaker's imagination. In José's youth, God represents a strict figure whose displeasure justifies physical punishment. In the afterlife poems, God acts as a stern but passive landlord who complains about the noise from basement parties but ignores the rule-breaking of the residents.

A mental health professional who counsels the speaker. He instructs José to stop repressing aspects of his identity and physical appearance, advising him to make friends with the insecurities he views as "monsters" in order to heal.

An adversarial voice on the telephone demanding financial repayment. His calls trigger profound anxiety in the adult José, causing him to freeze and mentally regress to a passive, agreeable child staring at a blank television screen.