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Xiomara is a 15-year-old Dominican American sophomore whose questions about gender roles and spiritual faith put her at odds with her repressive mother and, at times, with the world around her. Xiomara’s developing body is sexualized by peers and neighborhood boys, something Xiomara is both angered and secretly excited by. Xiomara fearfully tries to fulfill her mother’s demands that she be a devout Catholic, but she also questions her mother’s faith due to the Church’s stance on women, leading her to rebel against Mami’s expectations and strict rules. Xiomara also struggles with the blatant unfairness of female roles in society and within the home, comparing her obligations and pressures to those of her twin brother, Xavier. Xiomara is the only family member with a non-Biblical name. Her name means warrior, and Xiomara takes that to heart and resolves to fight for herself as much as she can.
Xiomara finds refuge and a method for self-expression in her poetry. Through her writing, Xiomara can explore the feelings that she can’t talk about with her family or even with Twin, Caridad, or Aman. Poetry makes Xiomara feel like she’s becoming who she is supposed to be rather than who her mother insists she must be. When she joins the poetry club and participates in slam events, Xiomara finally finds validation and affirmation for something beyond her physical appearance. When her mother burns her notebook, it's an attempt to erase everything about Xiomara that her mother can't control. However, because Xiomara memorized many of her poems and because she is committed to continue writing, her passion, her independence, and her sense of self remain intact. Furthermore, by asking their priest for help after Mami’s explosive and abusive anger, Xiomara exhibits not only some faith but also a desire to have a better relationship with her parents.
