Vernell LaQuan Banks Jr.

Quan is a sweet, intelligent, loyal child. He grows up splitting his time between his mom’s house and his dad’s house. He loves both his parents, but he prefers his father, who is more stable. Although his father is a drug dealer, he takes exceptionally good care of Quan and always makes sure he is happy. He has big expectations for Quan and always tells him he can do and be anything in this life.

Quan’s mother, on the other hand, remarries a man named Dwight who is abusive and bad-tempered. They have two children together, Gabe and Dasia, who Quan loves. But he hates to be in the house when Dwight is being beaten, and if he tries to intervene then Dwight beats him, too. He does not tell his father about the violence in his mother’s house because he...