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In the seedy Tenderloin district of San Francisco, young Nadine struggles to take care of her younger brothers and mute sister, as well as please her abusive mother. When her mother applies for more welfare money, authorities discover that Nadine is a gifted child, which qualifies her for a special educational program. Angry that her eldest daughter will now stay longer at school and can’t babysit anymore, a brutal fight ensues. Nadine runs away and desperately wanders the San Francisco streets then decides to visit a social worker who had been kind to her. This triggers a foster child application and Nadine is placed with a couple who knew her from the old Tenderloin apartment. She feels safer, but always looks over her shoulder in case her mother’s boyfriend, who went to jail after Nadine revealed he was a drug dealer, could be following her or plotting revenge.
Life with her foster parents is ideal and Nadine excels at school and will graduate high school two years early with some college credits, but now her biological mother, who went through AA and counseling, wants her daughter back. After supervised visits, Nadine hears her mother say that when she returns home she can forget about college; she needs to go directly to work and hand over her paycheck to help the family. Horrified that her education will end, and torn by loyalty to her brothers and sisters, Nadine contemplates her choices. Nadine’s foster parents and social worker help her plan her emancipation, which will involve a necessary full-time job, independent living, and a court order. Nadine’s best friend comes to her rescue with a shared apartment right near San Francisco State and her foster father arranges a restaurant job where he works. Although postponing college and leaving her loving foster family are difficult decisions, Nadine celebrates the beginning of her new life with all of the people who have helped her in the past few years–the school psychologist, social workers, administrators, teachers and foster parents. All of them have come together to emotionally support Nadine’s complicated and challenging life.
