Tyler, a mixed-race high-school senior, has been struggling with problems including truancy, drug use, the devastating loss of a friend, and fights at school that have run him into problems with the court system. He has been driven to counseling as a way to avoid juvenile hall, but as it turns out, he is grateful that someone is finally listening.

 

Tyler’s mother, who is African American, is loving, supportive and present in his life, but doesn’t set the best example. His father, who is White, has been virtually absent from Tyler’s life for years and is something of a stranger. Tyler is struggling with loss and fear of loss: A close friend recently succumbed to a heroin overdose, and an older brother, long a touchstone, has adopted some dangerous habits of his own.

 

Meanwhile, Tyler finds solace in creativity: this charming and likeable teen draws, paints and has won competitions with his artwork. Follow along on Tyler’s journey as he attempts to move away from destructive behaviors and toward his own process of self-discovery and healing.