Blackout

Kareem is a Black teenage boy living in New York City in “The Long Walk.” Kareem is smart and charismatic, and deeply passionate about music, with aspirations of becoming a DJ. Kareem has lived next to Tammi for most of his life, and dates her until a mutual misunderstanding breaks them apart. Headstrong and determined like Tammi, Kareem is keen on securing an internship at the Apollo theater—one that Tammi is also in the running for—to make money for college.

Though his parents are divorced, Kareem remains close to his entire family. Throughout his and Tammi’s trek through Manhattan, Kareem checks his phone constantly, eventually asking to use Tammi’s when it is on the brink of dying. While Tammi is under the impression that he wants to talk to his girlfriend, Imani, Kareem reveals that he is concerned about his grandmother, who lives in a retirement home. Kareem’s love for his family is also apparent later in the novel, when he and Tammi discuss Kareem’s relationship with his father. Though his father left his kids years ago, Kareem’s commitment to getting to know his father regardless of that history speaks both to his capacity to forgive and desire to be close to his family.

Kareem’s most notable quality is his love for Tammi. Though he challenges her throughout their journey to Brooklyn, his concern for and commitment to Tammi is most evident in “The Long Walk: Part 5,” when they are finally crossing the bridge. That Kareem remains a helpful and encouraging friend while Tammi suffers from a panic attack due to her fear of heights speaks to his love for her. It is in this moment that Tammi realizes that Kareem “was always supportive of everything” (135). That he asks her blankly, “Why would I want other girls when I want you?” indicates that despite their recent rough patch, Kareem has always cared for Tammi (135).

In “Made to Fit,” Nella is a Black teenage girl living in New York City. Nella identifies as queer and is in love with her best friend, Bree, who identifies as straight. Still reeling from Bree’s rejection, Nella is heartbroken and embarrassed. When Nella finally meets the famous Joss, a fellow queer teen who is beloved at her Grandpop’s retirement home, her tendency to look down upon herself becomes readily apparent. Nella cannot help but compare herself to Joss, who is beautiful and confident. Nella’s self-consciousness and lack of positive self-image coupled with the recent rejection from Bree causes her to shy away from Joss, as she is unable to believe that she could ever be wanted by someone. Nella is so self-loathing that she assumes that Joss only offers to help look for Pop’s photo of Grandma Zora because “there’s something pathetic about me that makes people want to help me” (65). With Joss’s help, Nella realizes that she is not pathetic, but rather “vulnerable and kind” (65). Realizing that she wants to give dating Joss a shot, Nella pushes past her fears and kisses her, deciding, that “you can’t be brave unless you’re at least a little scared” (67).

A regular at her Pop’s retirement home, Nella cares deeply about her family. She admits that she cannot bear to look at her own mother’s photograph for too long, as doing makes her “realize that one day my mom’s gonna be gone” (55). When her Grandma Zora is on her death bed, Nella comes up with an idea to cheer her up by using vending machine food from the hospital to create makeshift tea parties and picnics, which were two of Zora’s favorite things. Additionally, when Pop misplaces the precious photo of a late Zora that he keeps in his wallet, Nella scours in the entire nursing home in search of it, knowing how valuable it is to her grandfather.

Joss is a Black teenage girl living in New York City in “Made to Fit.” Joss is confident, kind, and beautiful, and a regular visitor and helper at her local retirement home. With a dog named Ziggy as her trusty sidekick, Joss is passionate about caring for animals. Of her many talents and interests is a passion for playing piano, which she often does for the seniors at the retirement home. While Joss is well loved by the residents of the home, she has a soft spot for Nella’s Grandpop. When Pop misplaces his photo of his late wife Zora, Joss does not hesitate to help Nella search for it, proving herself to be empathetic and helpful in times of stress.

While the two girls search for the missing photo, Joss proves herself to be honest and uninhibited, as she does not hesitate to engage in deep and meaningful conversations with Nella. In fact, Joss has no problem communicating to Nella that she finds her to be thoughtful, kind, and very attractive. In addition, Joss’s willingness to share intimate details about her own life and past romantic endeavors suggests a capacity to be vulnerable and open. Confident and comfortable in her own skin, Joss works to help Nella see herself in a similar light.

In “Mask Off,” JJ is a Black teenage boy living in New York City. The star of his high school basketball team, JJ has recently lost his passion for basketball. Despite falling out of love with the one thing that everyone seems to know him for, JJ does not feel comfortable telling anyone about his recent revelation, fearful that it may spark controversy.

Though he has had inklings about it in the past, JJ’s recent exploration of his sexual orientation marks a major turning point in his life. As with his falling out of love with basketball, JJ has yet to feel comfortable speaking to anyone about his queer identity. When JJ attends a local masquerade ball for queer people, he is pleasantly surprised to discover that he feels a sense of community and belonging, even while hiding behind his mask and assuming an alter ego. The most important result of attending the masquerade party comes in the form of getting to know his classmate, Tremaine, whom he boldly kisses at the end of the night. For JJ, the kiss confirms that he is queer.

While stuck on a subway car with Tremaine weeks after the ball, JJ’s initial refusal to even look in Tremaine’s direction suggests that he is still not completely comfortable with what transpired between them, or his sexual orientation at large. That he jumps to Tremaine’s aid following a fainting spell and manages to free them from the subway car and onto the platform is demonstrative of the fact that JJ is kind and empathetic, and moreover, cares about Tremaine. The conversation between Tremaine and JJ that occurs on the train platform marks the first time that JJ has had a frank discussion with another person about his identity and sexual orientation unmasked. That JJ has reached a place where he feels safe enough to speak openly about his journey with at least one another person suggests that he has made progress over time. 

In “Mask Off,” Tremaine is a Black teenage boy living in New York City. Tremaine is a handsome and intelligent young man, with a passion for photography. Wanting to gain experience and build a resume, Tremaine often offers his photography services to his friends, taking photos at parties and gigs.

Somewhat of an outsider among his classmates, Tremaine often suffers at the hands of bullies. In sixth grade, when bullies shoved him into a janitor’s closet, it is revealed that Tremaine suffers from severe claustrophobia. Years later, while sitting on the subway during a blackout, Tremaine’s fear of enclosed spaces comes back to haunt him.

When discovered by his classmate JJ at a queer masquerade ball, it is revealed that Tremaine is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. That Tremaine gives JJ his real name and does not assume a fake identity speaks to his willingness to be vulnerable and open. Weeks later, Tremaine confesses that he has had a crush on JJ since the sixth grade. A natural and thoughtful conversationalist, Tremaine forgives JJ for lying to him at the masquerade and tells him he looks forward to getting to know him, a testament to his kind and empathetic nature. 

In “Seymour and Grace,” Grace is a Jamaican teenage girl living in New York City. A transplant from her native Jamaica, Grace has been living in the US for two years. For most of those two years she has dated Derrick, a boy from school. Having recently been dumped by Derrick, Grace makes plans to attend a block party she knows he will also attend, in the hopes of forcing him to see that he made a mistake in dumping her.

On the way to the party, Grace makes fast friends with her driver, Seymour. After feeling guilty about telling him to turn his podcast down, Grace engages him in a meaningful conversation. Grace’s decision to indulge her driver rather than ignore him is a testament to the fact that she is a caring and kind person. Additionally, Grace’s enthusiastic participation in his discussion of philosophy points to her willingness to be curious and thoughtful in life.

At the party, Grace decides to bail on her plan to be antagonistic toward Derrick. Instead, she remains kind and polite, realizing that starting drama with a boy who already has another girlfriend is not worth the trouble. The fact that Grace goes out of her way to find Seymour in the crowd soon after speaks to her desire to try new things and meet new people, even if it is scary.

In “Seymour and Grace,” Seymour is a Black teenage boy living in New York City. Still reeling from the recent death of his father, Seymour forgoes going to college and opts to stay home and help support his widowed mother and siblings. Working as a driver for Ryde, Seymour is used to meeting and conversation with people from all walks of life. Having a curious mind, Seymour enjoys listening to podcasts about philosophy, as it enables him to consider big ideas.

Seymour is thoughtful and kind, which is perhaps most evident when he offers to walk his passenger, Grace, across Brooklyn to a party she is attending when he runs out of gas. That he makes a point to give her some background information about himself before they set off into the night points to the fact that he is a considerate person, as he wants to make sure she feels safe.

In “All Great Love Stories…and Dust,” Lana is a Black teenage girl living in New York City. Lana is the daughter of two men who met at a bookstore in NYC and has a little brother named Langston. Lana has spent her entire life dreaming of being a writer and hopes to see her books on the shelves of the New York Public Library one day. She is referred to as “elephantita” by her friends, given that she has an incredible memory, much like that of an elephant.

Lana has been best friends with Tristán for her entire life but feels drawn to him romantically. Though she makes plans to confess her love to him at the library, she struggles to find the words to express herself. She eventually initiates the discussion, but not without difficulty. Despite her nerves, Lana’s love confession to Tristán is indicative of her desire to seek out the love she wants and believes she deserves.

In “All Great Love Stories…and Dust,” Tristán is a Black teenage boy living in New York City. Having recently lost his mother, Tristán lives in the Bronx with his father and siblings. Tristán is charismatic and energetic young man and has been best friends with Lana for his entire life. Tristán is deeply competitive, always ready to jump into competition with those around him. When Lana proposes that they each try to find the perfect book in the library, he is confident that he will win the contest. Perhaps his most notable characteristic is how much he cares for Lana. Tristán’s proclamation of love for her at the end of the story is a testament not only to how deeply he cares about her, but also the fact that he has done so for many years.

In “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” Tre’Shawn is a Black teenage boy living in Mississippi. Tre’Shawn is a charismatic young man and longtime boyfriend to Kayla. Following a recent incident in which Tre’Shawn cancelled plans with Kayla to hang out with his friends—and ultimately lied about it—Tre’Shawn demonstrates maturity and a desire to make things right with Kayla when he apologizes earnestly for his wrongdoing. Similarly, when Kayla asks for time apart at the end of the story, Tre’Shawn’s understanding and supportive response suggests that he truly cares about Kayla and is willing to follow her lead.

In “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” Kayla is a Black teenage girl living in Mississippi. Though she has been with her current boyfriend for a long time, Kayla has a crush on another classmate, Micah, a reality that becomes a source of guilt and confusion for her. An ambitious and intelligent young lady, Kayla is also deeply anxious, and even regularly visits a therapist to help her cope with her mental health struggles. As a condition of her anxiety is a tendency to “expect bad stuff as opposed to good things so I won’t be hurt,” Kayla’s general sense of paranoia often holds her back from expressing herself or pursuing her actual interests (116).

A self-proclaimed “expectations meeter,” Kayla has spent her life doing as she is told and living according to what is expected of her. Though she loves her longtime boyfriend, Tre’Shawn, she often wonders if they only reason she has remained with him is “because he’s the only person I’ve ever been with” (115). Kayla’s willingness to live up to others’ expectations of her coupled with her general anxiety make it difficult for her to have a clear understanding of who she is and what she wants in life.

By the end of the story, Kayla’s important revelation that she should “forget what anyone expects” enables her to break things off with Tre’Shawn and simply focus on “being just Kayla” (130). That she is able to speak earnestly with Tre’Shawn about her conflicting feelings speaks to her willingness to challenge herself in order to grow and pursue the life she dreams of living.