A fourteen-year-old Black teenager experiencing typical adolescent insecurities alongside heavy burdens of systemic racism. She feels betrayed by her own skin, worrying about acne, her "ashy" knees, and the constant threat of racial violence. She possesses strong academic skills but faces gender-based exclusion when denied a spot on the school math team.

The speaker's mother, originally from the West Indies, who possesses light skin and can pass for white. She stays isolated behind a closed bedroom door, creating a physical and emotional barrier between herself and her child. She practices colorism within her own home, showing clear preference for her lighter-skinned children.

A male classmate who serves as the speaker's intense teenage crush. Despite her strong feelings for him, he retains childish habits like sucking his thumb in secret. He represents the everyday sexism the speaker faces, as male students often receive preferential academic treatment despite having lower grades.

The father of the speaker. He stands out in the household as the only person whose skin tone is darker than the speaker's, contrasting sharply with the lighter skin of his wife and other children.

The speaker's siblings, who share their mother's lighter complexion. Because of their lighter skin, they receive favoritism and are labeled as "good girls," creating a difficult household dynamic.