Living in the Bronx, a gay Black high schooler grows determined to master the vocabulary words his mother forces him to learn. He balances academics with home life, bullying, and a love interest.

A Black singer moves her community through the power of song throughout the tumultuous 20th century as she sings everything from blues to gospel music.

When a worker at a grocery store witnesses a man's arm get severed while attempting to grab a watermelon, it reminds him of an old story during slavery where a watermelon was the symbol of a blessing.