Jackie is a Japanese American woman in her final semester of law school. She lives a comfortable, sheltered life and actively distances herself from her family and cultural heritage. Her focus is split between an impending corporate law career and a strained, secretive relationship with her girlfriend. She reluctantly agrees to investigate her grandfather's past, completely unprepared for the neighborhood history she is about to uncover.

James is a tall, serious, and athletic young Black man who runs after-school programs in the Crenshaw district. Known as Jimmy during his childhood, he is deeply devoted to his community and protective of its youth. He carries heavy, unresolved grief over the death of his cousin during the 1965 Watts Uprising, using his current community work to combat local disenfranchisement.

Frank is a recently deceased Japanese American World War II veteran who formerly owned a small grocery store in Angeles Mesa. Before serving in the 442nd Infantry Regiment, he endured the US government's incarceration camps, which claimed members of his family. In Angeles Mesa, he acted as a warm-hearted pillar of a racially diverse community, though he remained quiet and emotionally reserved at home.

Curtis is a young Black man who grew up in the Angeles Mesa neighborhood during the 1960s. Despite facing racial persecution and hostility from law enforcement, he serves as a protective and generous presence for his younger relatives. His tragic death in the meat freezer of Frank Sakai's store during the 1965 Watts Uprising sets the modern-day investigation in motion.

Lawson is a white police officer known for his aggressive and overtly racist policing tactics in the Crenshaw and Angeles Mesa neighborhoods. He routinely targets children of color, using physical violence to enforce his authority. The local community strongly suspects his involvement in the deaths of four Black youths during the Watts Uprising.

Robert Thomas is one of the first Black officers on the local police force, having eventually risen to the rank of captain. He presents a stern, professional exterior while actively distancing himself from the Black communities he polices. He demands respect for his hard-won position but harbors deep bitterness and internalized prejudice toward working-class residents.

Lois is Frank Sakai's daughter and Jackie's aunt. She lived with Frank until his death and retains strong memories of growing up in the diverse Angeles Mesa neighborhood. She discovers the $38,000 in cash in Frank's closet and insists that Jackie fulfill his final wishes to locate Curtis Martindale.

Alma is Curtis and Cory's mother, originally from Oakland before settling in Los Angeles. She works hard to provide structure for her children, fearing the destructive paths available to idle boys in their neighborhood. She carries the weight of past family trauma and strives to keep her sons safe.

Laura is Jackie's girlfriend of three years. They live separately but maintain a rigid schedule of weekend visits. Their relationship feels stalled, weighed down by unexpressed frustrations and Jackie's reluctance to share details about her family investigation.

Kenji is a Japanese American man who suffered immense tragedy in a WWII concentration camp, losing his wife and child to medical negligence. In the present timeline, he is an elderly man with dementia who spends his time bowling at the Holiday Bowl, holding fragmented memories of the 1965 uprising.

Victor is a Black man who grew up in Angeles Mesa and became Frank Sakai's best friend. He works as a janitor at a low-income elementary school in the present day and holds key memories of the neighborhood's past, including crucial observations from the day of the murders.

Rebecca is Jackie's Japanese and Irish American friend. She is a beautiful, flirtatious law student heading into non-profit work to help marginalized communities. She consistently pushes Jackie out of her comfort zone and challenges her corporate ambitions.

Mary is Frank's late wife, whom he met in Angeles Mesa after returning from the war. She spent three years in the Manzanar concentration camp and always felt overlooked by her family before Frank noticed her.

Angela is Derek's sister and Curtis's childhood girlfriend. In the 1990s, she is a mother dealing with the long-term trauma of losing both her boyfriend to the uprising and, later, her brother to addiction.

Oliver Paxton is a former police officer who left the force shortly after the Watts Uprising. He was Robert Thomas's partner during the 1960s patrols of Angeles Mesa and holds critical knowledge about the events at Frank's store.

Bruce is Alma's husband and Curtis and Cory's father. He frequently clashes with Curtis over discipline, preferring strict punishments. He holds judgmental views regarding single mothers, particularly his sister Estelle.

Akira is a rebellious Japanese American teenager who worked at Frank's store during the 1960s. He was present in the store on the day the uprising reached the neighborhood before eventually relocating to Japan.

David is a Black youth who attended the same school as Curtis and worked at Frank Sakai's store. He is protective of his younger brother Tony and stays at the store to defend it during the uprising.

Derek is Angela's older brother. He worked at Frank's store and was deeply traumatized by the events of the Watts Uprising, a trauma that eventually leads him into severe addiction issues.

Althea is Alma's older sister. Though living in a nursing home, she remains sharp, agile, and protective of her family's history in the Bay Area, holding answers about Alma's past.