Zuri is a 17-year-old Afro-Latina high school junior living in Bushwick, Brooklyn. She is fiercely proud of her Haitian-Dominican heritage and her tightly knit family. Dreaming of attending Howard University, she frequently writes poetry to process her feelings about her changing community.

Darius is a wealthy Black teenager whose family recently moved to Bushwick from Manhattan. He attends a prestigious private school and struggles to adjust to his lively new neighborhood. He maintains a reserved, aloof demeanor that quickly puts him at odds with the locals.

Janae is the eldest of the five Benitez sisters and the first in her family to attend college. She is soft-spoken and eager to see the world beyond Brooklyn. She immediately catches the eye of the new neighbor Ainsley Darcy when she returns home for summer vacation.

Warren is a charming teenager who attends the same elite private school as the Darcy brothers on a scholarship. Raised in the local housing projects, he comfortably travels through the Bushwick neighborhood. He quickly sparks Zuri's interest with his familiar background and easygoing banter.

Ainsley is Darius's outgoing older brother. Unlike Darius, Ainsley is eager to explore Bushwick and attempts to integrate himself into the neighborhood immediately. He shows an early romantic interest in Janae Benitez.

Madrina is the 65-year-old Cuban owner of the building where the Benitez family lives. She resides in the basement apartment, rents to the family at a heavily discounted rate, and practices Santería. She acts as a comforting presence for Zuri.

Marisol is the 15-year-old middle sister of the Benitez family. Known for her street smarts and entrepreneurial drive, she focuses heavily on making money. She pitches financial services to the new Darcy neighbors upon meeting them.

Layla is one of the 13-year-old Benitez twins. She is highly interested in boys and eager to attend local parties. Her lack of caution requires her older sister Zuri to step in and protect her occasionally.

Kayla is the other 13-year-old Benitez twin. Like her sister Layla, she is easily excited by neighborhood gossip. She shows an intense interest in the arrival of the wealthy Darcy brothers across the street.

Mama is the loud, gregarious Haitian matriarch of the Benitez family. She cooks large meals for her family and neighbors, trading her food for the latest gossip. She enforces a warm, traditional environment in their crowded apartment.

Papi is the quiet, dignified Dominican patriarch of the Benitez family. He works long shifts in a hospital cafeteria to support his five daughters. He spends his free time reading history books, demonstrating a love for learning.

Charlise is Zuri's best friend in Bushwick and a talented basketball player. She approaches life and relationships with a practical mindset. She challenges Zuri's stubbornness and encourages her to give the wealthy Darius a chance.

Colin is Madrina's nephew who stands to inherit her building. He carries a reputation in the neighborhood as a flirtatious player. He soon sets his sights on Zuri's best friend Charlise.

Georgia is the sweet, innocent younger sister of Darius and Ainsley. She attends a boarding school and is largely sheltered from the realities of living in a neighborhood like Bushwick. She asks naive questions that expose her privileged upbringing.

Ms. Catherine Darcy is Darius's paternal grandmother. She adheres strictly to traditional markers of upper-class status. She makes little effort to hide her snobbish disapproval of anyone she deems beneath her family's social standing.

Mr. Darcy is the wealthy father of Ainsley, Darius, and Georgia. He works in real estate. He is responsible for purchasing and heavily renovating the property across the street from the Benitez family.

Mrs. Darcy is the matriarch of the Darcy family, originally from Croyden in London. She hosts formal, catered cocktail parties. She struggles to hide her judgment of her less wealthy Bushwick neighbors.

Carrie is a student at Darius's elite private school who lives in an upscale part of Brooklyn. She comes from a wealthy background and harbors a clear crush on Darius. This makes her instantly cool and dismissive toward Zuri.