Edie is a 12-year-old girl living in Seattle who loves drawing animals and natural scenery. Though she knows she is Indigenous, she feels disconnected from her heritage until she discovers a hidden box of old letters in her attic. She manages shifting friendships and her desire to understand her roots over the summer before seventh grade.

Lisa is Edie's mother and a full-time parent of Suquamish and Duwamish descent. Having been adopted by a white family as a baby, she holds complex feelings about her past and Indigenous heritage. She deliberately avoids answering Edie's questions about her history to protect her daughter from painful truths.

Don is Edie's white father. He works outside the home and supports his wife's decision to be a full-time parent. He follows Lisa's lead regarding what to share with Edie about their family history, resulting in a united front of secrecy that frustrates their daughter.

Amelia is one of Edie's oldest friends, but she is currently acting distant and dismissive. She shows little interest in Edie's artistic ideas and increasingly prioritizes her new connection with a girl who bullies Edie. She views the discovered box of letters as a potential resource for their movie rather than a sensitive personal matter.

Serenity is Edie's calm and emotionally mature best friend. Having navigated her own parents' divorce and their attempts to shield her from the truth, she understands why adults sometimes keep secrets. She respects Edie's feelings about the letters and encourages her to communicate openly with her family.

Phil is Lisa's adoptive brother and Edie's uncle. He is a former salmon fisherman who left the industry due to environmental concerns and now supports Indigenous fishing rights. As a supportive and compassionate adult, he encourages Edie to seek the truth from her parents while respecting his sister's boundaries.

Edith is a woman from the 1970s who traveled from Washington to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. She shares a striking physical resemblance to Edie, including a distinct gap between her front teeth. Her letters document her experiences in Hollywood and her pride in her Indigenous heritage.

Theodore is Edith's brother who lives in Washington while she pursues acting in Los Angeles. According to Edith's letters, he is an activist who participated in the Wounded Knee Occupation and protests at Fort Lawton, fighting for Indigenous rights.

Roger is an Indigenous boy around Edie's age who catches a tiny parachute from her firework. He casually notes that Edie looks Native, providing her with a rare and affirming sense of visibility.

Libby is a girl in Edie's grade who has historically bullied her, ever since Edie caught her copying schoolwork. She behaves passive-aggressively and makes mocking comments about Edie's new braces.

Bruno is a stray dog Edie encounters at the Tulalip Reservation. Though his fur is mangy, he appears happy. His lack of a visible family deeply affects Edie, inspiring her to make him the subject of her short film project.

Mrs. Vespucci is Edie's former kindergarten teacher. She asked a young Edie where she was from and "what" she was, sparking Edie's early awareness of feeling different from her peers.