Sepha is an Ethiopian refugee who fled his home country seventeen years ago during a political revolution. He owns a struggling convenience store in Logan Circle, a Washington, D.C. neighborhood undergoing rapid gentrification. Living a solitary life, he often avoids opening his store on time and prefers reading behind the counter to actually running a business. He harbors deep trauma from the violent loss of his father, which paralyzes his ability to forge meaningful connections.

Kenneth is a Kenyan refugee who works as an engineer in Washington, D.C. He embraces the American dream, striving for upward mobility and financial stability. He owns a used car and an apartment in the suburbs, frequently treating his friends to drinks. He actively encourages Sepha to improve the convenience store, representing a pragmatic approach to immigrant life.

Joseph is a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who works as a waiter at an upscale restaurant, the Colonial Grill. Though he originally dreamed of earning a PhD and writing an epic poem about his homeland, he now feels trapped serving wealthy patrons while wearing a tuxedo. He drinks heavily to manage his bitterness and escapes his disappointment by reading classic literature.

Judith is a white American history professor on sabbatical who purchases and renovates an abandoned Victorian mansion next door to Sepha's store. Her arrival signals the accelerating gentrification of Logan Circle. Seeking peace and a new beginning, she initiates a gentle courtship with Sepha, though their differing backgrounds complicate their potential romance.

Naomi is Judith's eleven-year-old biracial daughter. Defiant and independent, she quickly befriends Sepha and becomes a fixture in his convenience store. She misses her absent father and bonds with Sepha over reading novels and discussing current events. She actively tries to clean up Sepha's store and connect him with her mother.

Berhane is Sepha's uncle and an Ethiopian refugee living in an apartment complex populated by other immigrants. Once a prominent figure in Ethiopia, he now lives a quiet life in D.C. He helped Sepha secure his first job at a hotel and spends his free time drafting personal letters to former U.S. presidents, detailing the events that forced his family to flee.

Mrs. Davis is a long-time Black resident of Logan Circle who has lived there for over thirteen years. She is highly protective of her community and deeply skeptical of the white gentrifiers buying up local properties. She frequently checks in on Sepha but expresses sharp disapproval of the changes happening around them.

Sepha's father was an Ethiopian citizen who was murdered by soldiers during the Red Terror. When soldiers found Sepha's revolutionary flyers, his father claimed them as his own to protect his son. His sacrifice is the central trauma of Sepha's life, leaving him with a pair of cheap cuff links and a heavy burden of guilt.

Sepha's mother is an Ethiopian woman who lost her husband to military violence and immediately sent her eldest son to America to save his life. She remains in Addis Ababa with her other son. Sepha calls her occasionally and sends her money as a substitute for his presence.

Sepha's brother lives in Addis Ababa with their mother. He stayed behind in Ethiopia after their father's death, while Sepha was sent to the United States. He occasionally receives money and letters from Sepha.

Ayad is Judith's ex-husband and Naomi's father. He is a Black college professor who lives in Connecticut. Though absent from Naomi's daily life, he sends her extremely lavish, ostentatious Christmas gifts. His lifestyle and preferences heavily contrast with Sepha's modest existence.

Franklin Henry Thomas is a local resident of Logan Circle who reaches his breaking point regarding the rapid changes in his neighborhood. Driven by frustration over evictions and gentrification, he sets fire to the newly renovated Victorian mansion next door to Sepha's convenience store.