Sylvia And Aki

About to begin third grade at the beginning of the novel, Sylvia loves her family and is proud of her Mexican/Puerto Rican American heritage. Everyone in her immediate family is an American citizen, and she thinks little of her family’s move to rural Westminster from urban Santa Ana, apart from her father’s happiness at achieving his dream of running a farm. The discrimination she faces in Westminster and the subsequent lawsuit force her to become aware—and at times ashamed—of her ethnicity and skin tone, represented by her fixation on hands. However, she remains determined to rise above and achieve her father’s dream of a quality education and high school diploma.

These experiences as a child also keep Sylvia both curious and empathetic. Though Sylvia and Aki rarely interact in person in the novel, Sylvia learns about Aki through the doll and photo left behind. Sylvia empathizes with Aki’s unjust incarceration, even while recognizing that Aki (once) received privileges Sylvia initially did not, such as attending Westminster school. Despite this, Sylvia realizes the racism that Aki experiences and connects with her through their commonalities, such as farming. This connection leads Sylvia to initiate their