Joy is a first-grade student managing her identity as a Laotian refugee in a new country. She possesses a strong sense of pride in her family's culture, readily defending her mother's homemade lunches of chitterlings against classmates' insults. She balances the different expectations of home and school while acting as an informal mediator for her parents.

Joy's father provides for his family through factory work at a local print shop. A small painting of a bridge in their apartment reveals his past leisure interests and artistic skill. He advises Joy to keep their Laotian heritage quiet to avoid outside scrutiny, despite wearing a T-shirt with the word "LAOS" printed across the chest.

Joy's mother cares for the family's daily needs, bringing home groceries and preparing local butcher cuts like chitterlings. She holds firm beliefs about communication, discarding written school notes because she feels significant matters require a phone call. Her traditional cooking provides a sensory anchor to the family's cultural background.

Miss Choi is Joy's first-grade teacher, representing the norms and expectations of the school environment. She relies on written notes pinned to Joy's clothes to communicate with the family, a method that causes recurring misunderstandings. As she observes Joy's academic and social hurdles, she attempts to bridge the communication gap by offering her a gift from a velvet bag.