Artist. Lesbian. Eclectic. Xenophile

A nazi can be very Nice and fit in great in these social circles and they will choose a Nice nazi over an angry person pointing it out every single time.

Education

Safety

Emma Gonzalez. Parkland Shooting survivor. Gun control activist. Bad-ass.

Daysean St. Lawrence 

• 16 • straight • African American • Brooklyn • Gemini Daysean was born in Brooklyn and lives with his father, an MTA contractor, his mother, a paralegal and his older brother who attends school with him. When he was growing up, he was overweight and was bullied all throughout elementary school because of it. In middle school, he learned to combat the bullying with humor, fighting against his bullies with jokes and clever insults. He also started taking dance classes after school to become popular with the girls. He joined an afterschool sports team and trained with his dad on the weekends. He dropped over 30 lbs in fat and gained back most of that in muscle. In high school, he joined the football team and made quarterback by his junior year. His skills on the field were so impressive that he was scouted by multiple prestigious college football teams. Although destined to become a pro player, his love life makes him question what he really wants to do in life. 

Along with bullying, Daysean was also often the target of racism growing

When Daysean’s older brother came out to him and started becoming a bullying target himself, Daysean promised to have his back.

Daysean’s favorite football player is Colin Kaepernick.

Daysean: ‘Sup, Tori!

Tori: Hey! What’s up?

Daysean: Not much. Been trainin’ everyday but I need to take a break. Where’s Amaya? She ain’t witchu?

Tori: No, she got a summer job and she’s working. I haven’t seen her since school ended.

Daysean: That sucks.

Tori: Yeah. I think this is the first summer we’ve had where we weren’t with each other 24/7. 

Daysean: You guys sound mad close, like you’re sisters or somethin.’

Tori: Yeah, she’s been looking out for me since I first met her. We do everything together.

Daysean: That’s dope. She’s a really good friend. So you ain’t got nobody else to hang out with?

Tori: Well, I wanted to hang out with Christina and Cassie but ever since the whole cat-fishing thing, we’re not really supposed to talk to each other. 

Daysean: That’s messed up, yo. Tony got y’all fucked up and nothin’ happened to him. 

Tori: Well, we did trick him into sending his dick picks to the whole school.

Daysean: That’s not what I meant. I mean like he gets to slut around and break girls’ hearts and he don’t get no punishment. Y’all did the right thing. I hear he don’t date no more. I mean, he’s still sluttin,’ just not lyin’ to girls about being with them. 

Tori: Amaya freaked out when she heard about what I did and went on about child pornography laws and shit but they said that since he was 16 and it was all of our first offenses, we could take a plea deal and bring it down to a misdemeanor. 

Daysean: Y’all got lucky but yeah, fuck what the laws say, Tony deserved that shit. And you deserve to be with a guy who’ll treat you right. 

Tori looks into Daysean’s eyes and simpers. Daysean takes Tori’s hand. 

Daysean: I’ve been crushin’ on you mad hard for a while, Tori. And I’ve seen you goin’ through mad shit and I know that Amaya’s got your back but I wanna have your back too, for real. I wanna be that that guy for you, if you’ll let me.

Tori: (laughs shyly) Y’know that day at the Halloween dance when you, Mr. Scott and Michael starting that dance circle and you guys were all battling each other?

Daysean: Yeah? 

Tori: I said to myself God, he’s so cute.

Daysean: For real?

Tori: Yeah but I was being stupid and let my hormones choose a guy and not my heart. Wow, did I like, really just say that? That was so cheesy! (laughs nervously)

Daysean: Nah, I know what you mean. I was mad fat when I was a kid and no girl would talk to me. But when me and pops started training and playing ball and me and Maxwell took hip hop after school, I started droppin’ mad weight. I spent a lot of time at the gym and I became addicted to liftin’ weights and shit and watching the fat drop and watching the muscle build. Girls started lookin’ at me and I did some shit I probably shouldn’t have. I let my ego get in the way. But I don’t wanna be like Tony, I wanna be a real man and have somethin’ real with a girl. 

Tori: I want that too. Like, I’m ready to be in a relationship with someone who cares about me and I know that guy’s you.

Daysean and Tori lean in for a kiss. They kissed and held each other close. 

Daysean: Damn, you got the nicest lips. 

Tori: My lips like yours too.

Daysean: Check it, how about we get out of here? I wanna take you out. Anywhere you wanna go. Movies, dinner, bowling, wherever.

Tori: Anywhere?

Daysean: Well, I can’t take you nowhere expensive (laughs) but yeah. 

Tori: It’s so nice having a guy wanna take me out other than fucking Jensen, ugh! And every other guy just wants to take me back to their place and–well, y’know.

Daysean: Nah, nah, I ain’t about that no more. You ain’t gotta worry. Plus, I wanna get to know you more. 

Tori: Yeah, I wanna get to know you more too! Maybe we can get dinner?

Daysean: Maybe we can get some Italian? I know you love pizza. 

Tori: Wow! You noticed?

Maxwell St. Lawrence 

• 17 • gay • African American • Brooklyn • Aquarius♒ Maxwell was born in Brooklyn and lives with his father, an MTA contractor, his mother, a paralegal and his younger brother who attends school with him. Growing up, he was always popular and well liked by his classmates. He had a close-nit clique of girls that he hung out with and the boys would always ask him how he’s able to get so many girls to like him. He took dance classes after school with his brother in middle school and was the best in the class. When 8th grade prom came, his best friend asked him to prom and admitted to having a crush on him. However, he didn’t return her feelings, something he was confused about until high school when he realized he didn’t like girls at all. He became a target of bullying when he began showing up to school wearing make-up and heels. When his brother, Daysean found out, he sought to put an end to it. 

Maxwell runs the LGBTQ Safe Space at school which he started as a freshman. 

He is an unofficial member of a ballroom house called The House Of Millennia and the outfit he’s wearing is a costume he designed and wore when he auditioned to walk a category for “Military realness.”

Maxwell dreams of attending Parsons School of Design and becoming a fashion designer.

Maxwell: Oh my god! I love your shirt. It that Sasuke?

Julio: Yeah, it’s Sasuke.

Amaya: Dude! We found another Naruto fan! Naruto’s our shit.

Maxwell: Yaaasss, babe! Is Sasuke your favorite character?

Julio: Y-Yeah.

Maxwell: You think he’s cute?

Julio: Yeah (laughs nervously).

Maxwell: Girl, you’re in the LGBTQ Safe Space. If you got a crush on an anime boy hottie, say it loud and say it proud. Ain’t no shame here.

Amaya: Exactly. Yo, I’ve had this huge crush on Hinata since I started reading the manga in middle school.

Maxwell: Mm-hm, you like them little shy girls, dontcha, Amaya?

Amaya: I can’t help it. She’s fucking adorable and I love the Hyuga clan’s kekkei genkai! What about you, Julio? If you could have any of the kekkei genkai from any of the clans, what would you have? The sharingan?

Julio: I guess.

Maxwell: If I could have any kekkai genkai, I’d have the Nara clan’s shadow jutsu. 

Julio: Why?

Maxwell: So I could make somebody look like a damn fool (laughs). Especially all these boys out here who keep frontin’ like they don’t think these heels are on point. 

Julio: How do you walk in those?

Maxwell: (laughs) My brother be askin’ me the same thing. It takes practice, hon. I mean your braces hurt when you first got them, right? 

Julio: Yeah.

Maxwell: Beauty always takes a little pain but once you go through it, it is worth it. These boys out here think they can bring me down when they dis me but I’m a queen, honey, struttin’ in these stilettos and you cannot bring down a queen.

Amaya: Well, historically speaking, the queen of Hawaii was brought down and then there was Queen Elizabeth II…

Maxwell: Ok, ok, Ms. Straight-A–

Amaya: (laughs) I’m just sayin.’

Maxwell: Why you gotta go and ruin my moment? I was sittin’ here trying to inspire this gorgeous queen here and you had to come in and rain on the parade with your history.

Julio: I’m not a queen (laughs nervously).

Maxwell: You gay, right?

Julio: Y–Yeah.

Maxwell: Girl, there’s a queen inside of all of us. 

Amaya: Preach.

Maxwell: I know you’re one those shy and modest boys who doesn’t know how great you are yet but once you find that confidence, you’ll see that. You see, here at the LGBTQ Safe Space, we’re all about teaching self-love and finding the beauty in each other. If we don’t lift each other up and see the beauty in each other, who will? We’re all we got. 

The group ended for the day and everyone went home. Julio mustered up the courage to approach Maxwell at his locker. 

Julio: H–Hey.

Maxwell: Yes, hon?

Julio: Um, I just wanted to say “thanks.”

Maxwell: For what?

Julio: For what you said about me being a–a queen. No one has ever made me feel that valuable before. 

Maxwell: Oh course, hon! It’s like I said, we all have to lift each other up. 

Julio: So um…

Maxwell looks at Julio and then turns back to his locker to get a book. 

Maxwell: Don’t be shy. 

A couple of boys who are horsing around in the hallway across from them start snickering under their breaths and pointing at Maxwell’s shoes. Maxwell doesn’t seem phased but Julio is afraid to say what he wants in front of them. 

Julio: Um, never-mind. I’ll see you around.

Maxwell: Ok, hon. See you!

Julio leaves. Maxwell turns around to the boys as they laugh at him. 

Boy 1: Nice shoes, fag.

Maxwell: Thank you! I’d say I got them from your mother but there’s no way a woman with such great taste dressed you.

Boy 2: That supposed to be a joke?

Maxwell closes his locker after putting his book into his purse. 

~disclaimer: I am atheist and the beliefs held by this character are not my own.  

William Pacheco

 • 15 • straight • Ecuadorian 🇪🇨• Ecuador/Bronx • Taurus ♉ William was born in Ecuador and his family moved to the Bronx when he was 3. His dad is an auto mechanic and his mom works at a clothing store and does other odd jobs around the neighborhood to make ends meet. He was born with a bilateral cleft palate that was left untreated until he was 6. His parents didn’t have the money to get him surgery and prayed that God would fix it until a charitable hospital in the states offered to operate for free. He was overweight as a child because his condition kept him isolated from other kids. He never wanted to go outside and play even after his parents set him up for playdates with a boy from their church named Carlos. When he was 10, his parents spoke to doctors and other parents about what to do with him and they suggested doing things with him to help him boost his confidence. His father started training and playing soccer with him and his mother and older sister upgraded his wardrobe and did his hair. In high school, he was totally transformed and he caught the attention of the athletes and girls at school which made Carlos jealous. 

William is a religious conservative. He’s pro-life and believes that even the cruelest of misfortunes in life are somehow “blessings in disguise.”

Since his school doesn’t have a soccer team, he opted for basketball and plans on playing soccer in college. 

William and Carlos have an ongoing feud with each other because William stopped talking to him after he became popular.

Steph: Hey! I really like your t-shirt. 

William: Thanks. You listen to Disturbed?

Steph: Yeah! They’re one of my favorite bands. Who else do you listen to?

William: Alter Bridge, Three Days Grace, Avenged Sevenfold…

Steph: Nice! I love Alter Bridge. Their music got me through some really tough shit in my life. 

William: Oh really?

Steph: Yeah, back in Mexico, my brother would play soccer with these American boys who visited the city every summer and they would trade CDs and he got an Alter Bridge CD. The day my family crossed over the border, I listened to their music on my CD player and it helped calm me down when I got scared. 

William: You must be real spiritual findin’ somethin’ to hold onto during something so scary. 

Steph: Music’s always gotten me through tough times. That’s part of why I started my band.

William: You mad talented. I’ve seen you and your band perform at the Halloween dance. What you have is a gift from God. 

Steph: (laughs shyly) I wouldn’t say that. I’m not that special, I just practiced a lot. My papi doesn’t really want me playing, though. He thinks I’m gonna end up like him. He tried starting a band when he was my age and when I was a kid, him and his band got into trouble with one of the cartels in Guadalajara because my dad found out that the venue he played out was a front for their drug business. 

William: Damn, that must have been hard for all of you. Is that why your family came here?

Steph: Yeah, I was really fucking scared when he told me we had to leave. He didn’t tell me why at the time but I knew why we were leaving. A lot of my friends left to come here too but I never found out what happened to them. But I didn’t wanna think about it so when my papi stopped playing his guitar, I started playing it to keep myself busy. 

William: Can I ask you something?

Steph: What?

William: Do you believe in God?

Steph: I dunno. I mean, me and my family go to church every Sunday but sometimes I think that if there was a god and he was so powerful, he wouldn’t have made me and my family go through what we did and let my papi get deported because some gringos called the cops on him over some bullshit. What kind of god would let shit like that happen? I don’t wanna believe in that god.

William: God never gives us more than we can handle. Yes, your family is going through a tough time but you’re making your way through it. God always tests us because he has a plan for us and if we pass those tests, we’ll reap the benefits of his plan. You ever watch interviews by some of the most famous musicians in the world? They all had their faiths tested. They all had terrible shit happen to them and only the ones who didn’t have true faith in God gave up and struggled the most. You have a God given gift, Estefania. You do. And God’s been testin’ you lately to see if you’re truly worthy of that gift because he knows you’re gonna be famous someday. 

Steph: Are you trying to say that Chester Bennington, Kurt Cobain and every other musician who struggled and committed suicided died because they didn’t have faith?

William: Exactly. Suicide is a sin and only people who have real faith have the strength to keep living on through their struggles.

Steph: What does having real faith even mean? 

William: Praying daily, going to church every Sunday, believing that God has your back at all times and never giving up on you. 

Steph: But why does it seem like he gives up on his followers when they start to question him? I mean, people go through terrible shit every day. Parents watch their children die, children watch their parents die, there are famines, all these forest fires are happening, we have a president locking up people like us and separating children from their parents…if God is so powerful, why does he let all these things happen?

William: (laughs) Because he’s testing us. He wants to see how humanity will react to all these things and we’re still fucking shit up. We’re still polluting, we’re still letting sick people die because they can’t afford to go the doctor, we’re still turning our backs on God…that’s why all these things are happening, Estefania. 

Steph: So which is it? Is God this all-powerful being who controls everything or does he just sit back and watch all of this shit happen?

William: You ask a lot of good questions. I like the way you think. You sound like you actually care about what you believe in and not a lot of people do anymore. We should chill sometime. You wanna grab some chilaquiles on Friday? There’s a really good Mexican spot around my house. 

Steph: If they can make chilaquiles as good as my mom…

William: We’ll share a plate and it’s on me. 

Steph: Sounds like a date.

William: Call it whatever you want. 

Steph: (laughs) Ok, um, we should exchange numbers then. 

William: We should.

Estefania and William both pull out their phones and trade numbers. 

Steph: Ok, I gotta go meet up with Carlos and Serena. I’ll text you later?

William: Alright cool. 

Estefania nodded and smiled at him before turning around. 

William: Hey, I gotta a question. 

Steph: Yeah?

William: You and Carlos…you guys aren’t like, really close or nothin,’ right? You’re just like, bandmates or whatever?

Steph: Um, I mean, I guess I consider him to be a friend but we mostly just chill together for the band. Why?

William: Just askin.’ We grew up together and…well, just be careful around him, alright? Something’s wrong with that dude. 

Steph: Yeah, I know he can be stupid sometimes but I’m not going find another drummer like him. 

Carlos Rodriguez 

• 15 • straight • Dominican🇩🇴• Bronx • Scorpio♏ Carlos was born in the Bronx and lives with his father, a pastor and his mother, who runs a soup kitchen. Growing up, Carlos was always the class clown and wasn’t exactly an A-student. His parents forced him to participate in Sunday school, youth ministry activities and forbade him from playing sports to keep him out of trouble. He discovered his drumming talent when he was fooling around with their church’s instruments one day and his father suggested that he learn how to play so that he could become a part of the church band. He bought a drumming pad with his allowance to practice at home. He stumbled upon metal drumming covers on YouTube and became interested in playing in a metal band which he secretly joined with Serena and Estefania. His parents, however, are completely against him playing anything other than what he’s supposed to be playing for mass. 

Because of his conservative religious upbringing, he can be very ignorant about a lot of things and come off as insulting but he is capable of learning…eventually. 

Carlos was held back in his freshman year for failing English and shirking summer school.

When Carlos was in elementary school, his parents set him up for playdates with a boy from their church who was born with a serious bilateral cleft palate. He got a massive ego boost from all the compliments he got, not only from his drumming but also for hanging out with this kid. He’s pretty vain.

Carlos: You really read the Great Gatsby for fun?

Serena: Yeah…why?

Carlos: And you actually understood that shit?

Serena: Well, it’s not shit but yes, I understood it.

Carlos: That’s mad cool. You must be really smart. I like smart girls. 

Serena: Good for you. 

Mr. Scott: And last but not least, Carlos. What is the last book you read?

Carlos: Y’know, you mad pretty. You Dominican?

Serena looked up at Mr. Scott. 

Carlos: Or are you Puerto Rican?

Mr. Scott: Carlos. 

Carlos: What’s up?

Mr. Scott: Did you hear my question?

Carlos:–

Mr. Scott: Of course you didn’t because you weren’t paying attention. I asked, what is the last book you read?

Carlos: I don’t remember. It was some book about this kid and his dad and the world ended or something and–

Mr. Scott: You mean “The Road”? Which was the last book we read the last time you were in my class.

Carlos: Yeah, that’s it!

Mr. Scott: So you didn’t read anything over the summer?

Carlos: Nah, I didn’t.

Mr. Scott: That explains a lot. Also, you were supposed to return that book and you did not. Please bring it in, that is, if you haven’t lost it. Alright, so we’re going to be moving right along to our first in-class assignment. We’re going to be working on writing narratives this semester and that means you guys will have to create characters because a story cannot exist without characters, right? And in order to create a character, you need to explore the identities of different types of people, learn about what they like, what they identify as, where they’re from, etcetera. So I’m going to ask you guys to pair up and interview each other and I’m going to ask that you record your partner’s answers in your notebooks and then report the answers back to the class. I’m going to be handing out a list of questions for you guys to ask. You have fifteen minutes to complete the questions. Ok, first group, Serena and Carlos. Next group…

Serena: (sighs)

Carlos: So why’d you read that book?

Serena: Because I was curious. It’s a really famous book. Anyway, I think we should stick to the questions.

Carlos: Do you have a boyfriend?

Serena: No. 

Carlos: Oh, so you ain’t with nobody.

Serena: No, I’m not. Can we please stick to the questions?

Carlos: Ok, fine. Here’s one: what’s your sexual orientation?

Serena: I’m a lesbian. 

Carlos: (laughs incredulously) Nah, chill. No you not. 

Serena: I am. I’m gay. 

Carlos: No! Wait, for real?

Serena: Yes!

Carlos: You too pretty to be a dyke. Lesbians are all fat and they have short hair and look like dudes. You mad pretty, though. 

Serena: Are you saying that lesbians are ugly?

Carlos: A lot of them are, yeah.

Serena: And you don’t think that’s offensive?

Carlos: It’s true, though. 

Serena: But I’m a lesbian and according to you, I’m not ugly. 

Carlos: Cause you not. 

Serena: There are other lesbians who look like me. You do realize that, right?

Carlos: There are?

Serena: Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The second question is where is your family from?

Carlos: DR. 

Serena: What does that mean?

Carlos: You’ve never heard of DR? It’s the Dominican Republic. What about you?

Serena: My dad’s African American and my mother’s family is German. 

Carlos: Oh, you mulatto. Mulatto girls are fucking hot. No wonder you so pretty. 

Serena: I’m biracial, not “mulatto.” That word was created to describe half white, half black slaves who were created for slave owners who wanted light skinned slaves and now it’s considered an insult. It basically means “mutt.” 

Carlos: Oh, I didn’t know that. Damn, you mad pretty and smart. 

Serena: Carlos, we’re running out of time. Can we just finish the assignment?

Carlos: Why you can’t take a compliment for?

Serena raises her hand and Mr. Scott approaches her.

Mr. Scott: Yes, Serena?

Serena: Can I switch partners with someone.

Carlos eyes her with confusion.

Mr. Scott: What’s the problem?

Serena: Carlos isn’t taking this assignment seriously and he keeps making me uncomfortable. 

Mr. Scott eyes Carlos.

Mr. Scott: Carlos, please stick to the assignment. Whatever it is that’s going on between you two, please work it out. It’s too late to change partners. 

Mr. Scott walks away. 

Carlos: Damn, why you trying to get me in trouble for?

Serena: Because you won’t stop hitting on me and it’s getting annoying. I’m not interested so just stop trying to flirt with me and stick with to the assignment.

Carlos: C’mon, I haven’t said one bad thing to you!

Serena raises her hand again and Mr. Scott, again, approaches her. 

Mr. Scott: Is everything ok?

Serena: Can I use the bathroom, please?

Mr. Scott: Yes, grab the bathroom pass on your way out. 

Serena leaves the classroom. 

Mr. Scott folds him arms and looks down at Carlos, noticing that his notebook was empty. 

Mr. Scott: Carlos, this is your second time repeating this class and you’re already off to a bad start, my guy. If you don’t have this assignment completed in the next ten minutes, I’m going to have to give you an F for the day. 

Carlos: That’s not fair, Mr. Scott. The whole point of this assignment is to learn about our partner, right? That’s what I’m doing.