| Carver | One of Iris's former classmates. |
Aubrey | Daniels | Melody's father. |
CathyMarie | Daniels | Aubrey's mother. |
Sabe Ella | Franklin | Melody's grandmother. |
| Márquez | One of Iris's former classmates. |
Benjamin | Mays | College president. |
Grandma | Melody | Iris's grandmother. |
Sammy | Simmons | Melody's grandfather. Aka: Po'Boy. |
Benjamin | | Sabe and Po'Boy's son who died. |
Clariss | | One of the students sitting at the Black Breakfast Table. |
Ella | | Po'Boy's aunt. |
Iris | | A mother at 15. |
Jamison | | Iris's partner. Aka: Jam. |
Leonard | | One of the students sitting at the Black Breakfast Table. |
Lou | | Malcolm's friend. |
Malcolm | | Melody's boyfriend. |
May | | One of the students sitting at the Black Breakfast Table. |
Melody | | Iris's daughter. |
Nettie | | One of the students sitting at the Black Breakfast Table. |
Sasha | | Melody's friend. |
Tenessa | | One of the students sitting at the Black Breakfast Table. |
Thelma | | Aubrey's old neighbor. |
Wynett | | Nettie's real name. |